Week 17 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em
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, Adrian Peterson or any other top-tier players.
What a year 2009 has been. It started with Tom Brady being lost for the year, LaDainian Tomlinson falling apart, Chad Pennington outplaying Brett Favre and Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg.
There has been plenty of other zaniness, and Fantasy owners had their fair share. In a season where some of the best Fantasy options have been Tyler Thigpen, Pierre Thomas and Antonio Bryant, it's only fitting that our final Start of the Week wasn't drafted in any leagues this year.
LeRon McClain was expected to be a backup fullback for the Ravens behind Lorenzo Neal. But when Willis McGahee struggled to start the season due to a knee injury and Ray Rice wasn't deemed ready, McClain saved Baltimore's running game.
He thrived in offensive coordinator Cam Cameron's system with 215 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the first three games of the season. Once McGahee came back, McClain went back to a reserve role, but his season was far from over.
McGahee struggled again in November, and McClain came on again with 461 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the past five games. He has earned a Pro Bowl selection at fullback even though he's more of a runner than blocker -- think Mike Alstott in his heyday with Tampa Bay.
This week, McClain will close the season with another good outing against Jacksonville. Even though McGahee ran well last week at Dallas with 108 rushing yards and a touchdown, McClain is the closer for Baltimore. He will be the one killing the clock at the end of the game, and he has at least 20 carries in his past four games.
The Ravens still have plenty to play for this week with a playoff berth on the line, and the Jaguars are ready for the offseason after a disappointing campaign. Jacksonville has allowed 11 rushing touchdowns this season, and McClain should add to that total.
It's been a strange year, but McClain has been one of the surprising stars. He should finish this season with an encore performance.
Sit of the Week
If you've been watching the Dolphins for most of their magical season, one thing has stood out, especially as a Fantasy owner: Why don't they give Ronnie Brown the ball more?
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| If only Ronnie Brown would get his hands on the ball more. (US Presswire) |
In his past three games, Brown is averaging 5.0 yards-per-carry, but he only has 34 carries. He hasn't scored a touchdown during that span and has lost carries to Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs and even Ted Ginn Jr.
It's hard to argue with the Dolphins since they're winning games and could clinch the AFC East with a win at the Jets this week. But as a Fantasy owner, you want to see Brown do more.
While the Jets run defense has struggled recently, they still remain No. 7 with 10 touchdowns allowed. They held Brown to only 23 rushing yards and no touchdowns in Week 1, and the Jets defense should play well with slim postseason hopes still alive.
Brown has improved since Week 1 and earned a questionable Pro Bowl selection with 859 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and 29 catches for 239 yards coming into this game. You can make the case he's going to the Pro Bowl based on his performance at New England when the "Wildcat" debuted and he accounted for five touchdowns.
But had Brown gotten more touches this season his stats could have been among the best running backs in the league. Since the Dolphins aren't giving him the ball enough, you should plan on keeping him reserved in Week 17.
Instead, some other running backs to consider along with McClain and the players listed below include Cadillac Williams (vs. OAK), Derrick Ward (at MIN), Pierre Thomas (vs. CAR), Tim Hightower (vs. SEA) and Leon Washington (vs. MIA).
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
Kurt Warner (vs. SEA): Warner has slowed down recently and derailed his chance of an MVP season. He hasn't topped 300 yards in his past four games and has two touchdowns with two interceptions in his past two outings. His last game at New England was terrible with only 30 yards passing. But you can expect Warner to bounce back. Seattle has the worst pass defense in the NFL, and Warner passed for 395 yards, one touchdown and one interception in their previous meeting. Warner has three 300-yard games in his past four meetings with the Seahawks, and you don't have to worry about Warner not playing a full game since coach Ken Whisenhunt said the Cardinals are going all out this week to get ready for the playoffs.
Philip Rivers (vs. DEN): Rivers has put the Chargers on his back with his recent performances the past three weeks. He has nine touchdowns and one interception against Oakland, Kansas City and Tampa Bay and has San Diego on the verge of a playoff spot with a victory against Denver. Rivers passed for 377 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against the Broncos in Week 2 and has 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in five previous meetings with Denver. There's no reason for Rivers to slow down now so expect another outstanding performance.
Tyler Thigpen (at CIN): Thigpen had his best passing total of the season last week against Miami with 320 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions and 57 rushing yards and a touchdown. He should stay hot this week and continue to prove he deserves to be Kansas City's starting quarterback of the future. The Bengals are among the league leaders with 22 passing touchdowns allowed, and Cincinnati will struggle to stay with Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez. That will allow Thigpen to post another solid stat line while helping Fantasy owners in crunch time.
Chad Pennington (at NYJ): Pennington took down his former coach in Herman Edwards last week with 235 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception at Kansas City, and now he has the ultimate revenge game. In New York, with the AFC East title on the line and a chance to knock out the Jets, who discarded him this offseason for Brett Favre. Pennington should pick this defense apart, and New York is No. 29 against the pass with 21 touchdowns allowed. The Dolphins will struggle to run against the Jets, but Pennington will make plays and show the Jets they picked the wrong quarterback this year.
Matt Ryan (vs. STL): Ryan has struggled recently with only four touchdowns and three interceptions in his past four games against San Diego, New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. There's reason to believe he will get back on track this week. The Rams are terrible on defense and have allowed 19 passing touchdowns. Ryan should pick St. Louis apart, and the Falcons still have plenty to play for, so don't expect Ryan to coast this week. Not that there's any question, but he will cement his status as the best rookie this season with another good outing.
Sleeper alert: Jake Delhomme (at NO): I don't usually like Delhomme on the road, but I do like him at New Orleans. He's a Louisiana native and used to play for the Saints. He also has a good history against New Orleans. Delhomme had two touchdowns against the Saints earlier this year and has eight touchdowns and three interceptions against them in his past five meetings. With Drew Brees expected to come out throwing, Delhomme might have to answer, which is good for him and Steve Smith. Some other quarterbacks to use this week based on the matchups include Aaron Rodgers (vs. DET), Matt Schaub (vs. CHI), Seneca Wallace (at ARI), Joe Flacco (vs. JAC) and Shaun Hill (vs. WAS).
Sit 'Em
Eli Manning (at MIN): Manning has fallen apart without Plaxico Burress. He has two touchdowns and two interceptions in his past three games against Philadelphia, Dallas and Carolina and hasn't topped 200 yards in any of those matchups. And he's holding the ball to long because his receivers can't get open, which is why he has 11 sacks in the past two weeks. The Giants are expected to play their regulars this week, but the Vikings have improved on pass defense this season. They are among the league leaders with only 14 passing touchdowns allowed and should be able to stop this Giants' receiving corps and continue to make Manning look inferior.
Tarvaris Jackson (vs. NYG): It's Week 17, you're in your Fantasy championship game and you want Jackson as your quarterback? Not me. My colleague, Dave Richard, says start Jackson after he's passed for seven touchdowns and no interceptions in his past three games against Detroit, Arizona and Atlanta. He even ran for 76 yards against the Falcons. But now he gets the Giants, who plan to play their regulars for most of the game. The same Giants who are No. 7 in pass defense and among the league leaders with 40 sacks. Jackson will struggle here, and you don't want to risk using him as your starting quarterback this week.
Jeff Garcia (vs. OAK): It's amazing Garcia can still breathe through his nose after the shot he took last week from the Chargers, which left him bloody and wearing a bandage after the game. He'll be fine this week, but don't be surprised if he posts modest stats against the Raiders. Oakland showed last week against Houston that its secondary can shut down a quality passing game. Garcia and the Bucs would be smart to run the ball often here with some occasional passes toward Antonio Bryant. Garcia had two interceptions against San Diego and can be prone to mistakes if he's asked to do too much.
JaMarcus Russell (at TB): The Bucs will come to play in this game since it's defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin's last game in Tampa Bay before going to the University of Tennessee to coach with his son, Lane. That's all the motivation Tampa Bay's defense needs. Russell has played well the past two weeks with 478 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception. But in his past five games on the road he only has one game over 200 passing yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions over that span.
Kyle Orton (at HOU): Orton was horrific last Monday against Green Bay with 172 passing yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He now has six interceptions in his past three games and is coming to Houston on a short week. The Texans don't have a great secondary, but Orton looks shaky right now. The Bears best bet is to run Matt Forte as often as possible and take the ball out of Orton's hand. He attempted 40 passes against the Packers, and that's not good because the more he's throwing, the worse off Chicago's offense will be.
Bust alert: David Garrard (at BAL): I probably should have learned my lesson from the past two weeks when I said Garrard was a sit and he played well. He has 567 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception and also a rushing touchdown against Green Bay and Indianapolis. But it's just too hard to start him at Baltimore with the Ravens needing a win this week. Baltimore did a good job at Dallas last week, and the Ravens remain No. 3 in pass defense with 16 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. Ed Reed is back as the best ball hawk in the NFL, and Garrard will face plenty of pressure from this defense. He could be a surprise once again, but on the road against this opponent is a daunting task.
Running backs
Start 'Em
Ryan Grant (vs. DET): Grant likes the Lambeau Leap. He has played much better at home this season than on the road. In his past five homes games, Grant has 476 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He should also like facing the Lions, who are last in the NFL in run defense and have allowed 30 rushing touchdowns this season. Last week, the Saints scored four rushing touchdowns at Detroit. Grant only had 20 yards rushing against the Lions in Week 2, but he scored two touchdowns in two meetings against Detroit last year.
Cedric Benson (vs. KC): We had Benson as a sleeper last week, and he came through with a career-high 171 rushing yards against Cleveland. The Chiefs are a worse run defense than the Browns as Kansas City ranks No. 30 against the run and is second with 24 rushing touchdowns allowed. Benson, who had 161 total yards in Week 15 against Washington, is playing well toward the end of the season because he's trying to win a job for next year. You can expect him to play well for one more game, and it's safe to start Benson in all leagues in Week 17.
Kevin Smith (at GB): Smith is playing the past two weeks like we expected him to all year. He had 111 rushing yards and a touchdown last week against New Orleans and now has 199 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his past two games. The Packers are No. 26 in run defense with 19 rushing touchdowns allowed. Smith only had 10 carries for 40 yards and four catches for 21 yards in the first meeting in Week 2, but he should step up this week and continue his recent stellar play. Smith should remain a No. 2 Fantasy running back in Week 17.
Sammy Morris (at BUF): Morris had his three-game scoring streak end last week against Arizona with LaMont Jordan rushing for two touchdowns, but Morris still had 133 total yards. He now has over 100 total yards in consecutive games and should do well against the Bills, who have allowed 17 rushing touchdowns this season and give up over 118 rushing yards per game. Morris will lose some touches to Jordan and Kevin Faulk, but he should still be reliable enough to start for your Fantasy team in this matchup. The Bills aren't going to stop the Patriots in this game.
Larry Johnson (at CIN): Johnson played well last week against Miami with 12 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown and should finish the season strong against the Bengals. He is doing well in limited carries with only 40 in his past three games, but the Chiefs have been creative with Johnson by giving him a passing touchdown and involving him in other ways. The Bengals have improved against the run the past two weeks against Clinton Portis and Jamal Lewis, but they still allow over 125 rushing yards per game with 15 touchdowns. Johnson should run well here and is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back.
Sleeper alert: Maurice Morris (at ARI): We like players who are motivated, and Morris is trying to earn a job for 2009. He had 29 carries for 116 yards last week against the Jets and has 202 rushing yards in his past two games. Morris had a receiving touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 11 and has done well with Julius Jones struggling. Morris will get the majority of touches again this week and should be successful once again.
Sit 'Em
Maurice Jones-Drew (at BAL): There are several reasons to be concerned about Jones-Drew this week. He banged his knee last week against Indianapolis, so he will be less than 100 percent. He's facing a Ravens defense that's motivated and needs to win this game. And Baltimore is nasty against the run. The Ravens still haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher all season and lead the NFL with only four rushing touchdowns scored against them. We know Jones-Drew can make an impact in different ways besides just running the ball, but the safe option is to keep him reserved at Baltimore.
Marion Barber (at PHI): It's obvious that Tashard Choice is the better running back for the Cowboys right now with 269 rushing yards and two touchdowns and 16 catches for 155 yards in his past three games against Pittsburgh, the Giants and Baltimore. Meanwhile, Barber has just 2 yards rushing over that span and is struggling with the toe injury. Keep Barber reserved in all leagues since Dallas might be saving him for the playoffs if the Cowboys make it. If you need a Dallas running back to start this week, the choice is Choice.
Marshawn Lynch (at NE): If Lynch is out with the shoulder injury than sit his backup, Fred Jackson. The Patriots need to win this game and will focus on stopping Buffalo's ground game in this matchup. Lynch only had 46 rushing yards at New England in Week 10, and the Patriots run defense has done well despite several injuries. New England is No. 12 in run defense with only eight rushing touchdowns allowed. If Lynch plays he would be at less than 100 percent, and Jackson just doesn't have enough appeal to use in Week 17 even though he is a quality backup running back.
Tatum Bell (at SD): Bell is the last man standing now that P.J. Pope (hamstring) and Selvin Young (neck) are out for the year. That makes seven running backs lost for the Broncos this season. Denver won't be running much in this game, and Bell only has 12 carries the past two games against Carolina and Buffalo. His average has been good at over 5.0 yards-per carry, but Bell isn't getting enough touches. That could change with the latest injuries, but it's just too hard to trust Bell against the Chargers, who are No. 11 in run defense with only nine rushing touchdowns allowed.
DeShaun Foster (vs. WAS): Foster was a huge letdown for owners last week with 53 total yards and no touchdowns at St. Louis. He was one of the few running backs not to score against the Rams this year. Frank Gore (ankle) is expected to return this week, which will force Foster back to the bench, but even if Gore remains out, keep Foster reserved. The Redskins have done well against the run this year and allow just over 92 rushing yards per game with 10 touchdowns. You were burned by Foster once during the Fantasy playoffs. Don't make the same mistake twice in two weeks.
Bust alert: Darren McFadden (at TB): McFadden has turned the corner the past two weeks and seems to have his toe issues behind him. He has 92 yards rushing and a touchdown and 10 catches for 117 yards receiving against New England and Houston. These are the stats we expected from McFadden all season before two separate two injuries ruined his rookie campaign. But don't plan on using McFadden this week. The Raiders are coming to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. ET start, and the Bucs have done well against the run this season. Tampa Bay remains No. 2 in rushing touchdowns allowed despite getting pushed around by Carolina, Atlanta and San Diego the past three games. But Oakland doesn't have the talent on offense as those three teams, and this is defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin's last game for the Bucs. The defense should step up in this matchup and limit what McFadden and Justin Fargas want to do.
Wide receivers
Start 'Em
Vincent Jackson (vs. DEN): Jackson, a Colorado Springs native, is closing the season on a tear with 18 catches for 348 yards and two touchdowns in his past three games. And he loves facing the Broncos, so he should remain hot. In his past five games against Denver, Jackson has 19 catches for 337 yards and two touchdowns. The Broncos still can't stop anyone on defense and have allowed 19 passing touchdowns this season. This game should be high scoring, so look for Jackson to have plenty of chances to make plays.
Dwayne Bowe (at CIN): Bowe struggled last week against Miami with only three catches for 28 yards, but he will rebound in Week 17. The Bengals are among the league leaders with 22 passing touchdowns allowed, and Bowe has done well on the road this season. He has at least five catches in four of his past five road games and had seven catches for 96 yards in his last away game at Denver in Week 14. Last year against the Bengals, Bowe had four catches for 46 yards, but he's improved since then. He should post better stats this time around.
Antonio Bryant (vs. OAK): Bryant continues to drive up his price tag as a free agent heading into the offseason with his recent play. He now has 26 catches for 498 yards and five touchdowns in his past four games. The Raiders could present a problem with Nnamdi Asomugha since Oakland was able to hold Andre Johnson to two catches for 19 yards last week. But there is no way you bench Bryant at this time. He's playing for a new contract, and he's trying to help Tampa Bay get into the playoffs. You can count on another solid performance from this year's best surprise player.
Deion Branch (at ARI): We expected Branch to struggle last week with the Jets since he was dealing with Darrelle Revis, but the Cardinals don't have the same help in their secondary. Branch had four catches for 54 yards in his last meeting with Arizona and has done well against teams with bad pass defenses this year. Against Dallas, New England and St. Louis in the three games prior to New York, Branch had 14 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He should do well again in this game since the Cardinals lead the NFL in passing touchdowns allowed with 34.
Eddie Royal (at SD): Royal had a solid game last week against Buffalo with 71 rushing yards and five catches for 57 yards. He needs 96 yards to reach 1,000 and has been the best rookie wide receiver this year with more catches, yards and touchdowns than DeSean Jackson and Donnie Avery. Royal had five catches for 37 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers in the first meeting in Week 2 and should do well again this week. San Diego still has problems in the secondary, and the Broncos should be throwing for most of this game.
Sleeper alert: Devery Henderson (vs. CAR): This spot is reserved for all Saints receivers, so plan on starting Marques Colston and Lance Moore also. Drew Brees could attempt 50 passes against the Panthers as he tries to break Dan Marino's record for passing yards in a season. He needs 402 to tie the record, so you know the ball is going to be in the air. Henderson has been solid at home with three touchdowns in seven games. He's not going to catch many passes, but he is the deep-ball threat. He had three catches for 80 yards against the Panthers in Week 7 and is worth starting as a No. 3 Fantasy wide receiver again. Some other wide receivers to consider this week based on the matchups include Davone Bess (at NYJ), Steve Breaston (vs. SEA), Isaac Bruce (vs. WAS), DeSean Jackson (vs. DAL) and Santana Moss (at SF).
Sit 'Em
Bernard Berrian (vs. NYG): Berrian has struggled since Tarvaris Jackson took over at quarterback with only six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in the past three games. He is dealing with an ankle injury, but you can expect him to play since the Vikings are trying to make the playoffs. New York has only allowed 16 passing touchdowns this season, and the Giants held Steve Smith to three catches for 47 yards last week. As long as Jackson is the quarterback for the Vikings, Berrian won't post good numbers.
Lee Evans (vs. NE): Evans is a good example of what happens to players after they receive contract extensions. He signed his new deal Oct. 2 and since then has only two touchdowns and two 100-yard outings in 11 games. It's hard to say whether there's a direct correlation or not to getting paid, but Evans has faded since signing a four-year extension. Granted, it didn't help that Josh Reed and Trent Edwards got hurt, but Evans' play has suffered nonetheless. Included in that stretch was a poor game against New England when he had two catches for 22 yards, and Evans has struggled with the Patriots in his career. In his past five meetings, Evans has only 10 catches for 104 yards and no touchdowns against New England.
Amani Toomer (at MIN): Toomer hasn't helped Eli Manning much since Plaxico Burress left the team. Toomer only has seven catches for 64 yards and no touchdowns in the past three games. Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith and Kevin Boss have been more productive than Toomer over that stretch, and it's clear Manning doesn't trust Toomer enough to involve him on a regular basis. The Vikings also have allowed only 14 passing touchdowns this season, so don't look for Toomer to do much in this matchup. He had four catches for 83 yards against Minnesota last year, but that was with Burress on the field to draw coverage.
Donnie Avery (at ATL): Avery had five catches for 56 yards last week against San Francisco and has 11 catches for 117 yards the past two games, but he hasn't scored a touchdown in his past eight games. The Falcons have allowed 19 passing touchdowns this season, but you never know which Rams offense is going to show up. Avery has shown flashes of brilliance this season and also been non-existent in games with good matchups. It's just too hard to trust him at this crucial point of the season, especially since he's struggling to find the end zone recently.
Ted Ginn Jr. (at NYJ): Ginn had his first productive Fantasy outing in three games last week at Kansas City with four catches for 44 yards and a 31-yard rushing touchdown. But this week Ginn will be covered by Darrelle Revis, who has locked down Lee Evans and Deion Branch the past two games. Ginn also has just six catches for 51 yards and no touchdowns in three meetings with the Jets. Chad Pennington has shown he will use Davone Bess as his possession receiver and Anthony Fasano and David Martin in the red zone. Pennington won't take many shots down the field to Ginn, and that's his best asset because of his speed.
Bust alert: T.J. Houshmandzadeh (vs. KC): Houshmandzadeh is one of our favorite players, and he has a great matchup this week since the Chiefs are No. 30 in pass defense with 21 touchdowns allowed. Last year at Kansas City, Houshmandzadeh had eight catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs. But at this point in the season, you can't have faith in Houshmandzadeh to post good stats. He hasn't scored a touchdown in his past five games and has just one touchdown in his past 10 outings. Last week against Cleveland, which was also a favorable matchup, Houshmandzadeh reached a new low with no catches. Carson Palmer's injury has ruined Houshmandzadeh's season, and he should not be used in any leagues this week.
Tight ends
Start 'Em
Owen Daniels (vs. CHI): Daniels has improved dramatically since Matt Schaub returned and replaced Sage Rosenfels. In the past three games against Green Bay, Tennessee and Oakland, Daniels has 17 catches for 217 yards. The Bears are No. 28 in pass defense, so Schaub will try to exploit the middle of the field with Daniels. If Chicago pays too much attention to Andre Johnson, Daniels will have a chance to post solid stats in this matchup.
John Carlson (at ARI): Carlson has been impressive the past five games with 23 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He has become a Top 10 Fantasy tight end, and he should finish this season strong. The Cardinals lead the NFL in passing touchdowns allowed with 34, so Carlson could find the end zone in consecutive weeks after scoring against the Jets in Week 16. Seneca Wallace has done a great job connecting with Carlson since taking over for the injured Matt Hasselbeck.
Anthony Fasano (at NYJ): Carlson scored against the Jets last week, and New York has struggled with tight ends all season. It started in Week 1 when Fasano had eight catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, and he can complete the circle this week. Fasano has been on a tear recently with eight catches for 103 yards and three touchdowns in his past three games against Buffalo, San Francisco and Kansas City. When he struggles, he kills your Fantasy team, and he's gone four games this year without reaching 10 yards receiving. But he's too hot right now to keep reserved, and the matchup is favorable.
Sleeper alert: Tony Scheffler (at SD): Scheffler had six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers in Week 2, which was when San Diego couldn't stop any tight ends. The Chargers haven't gotten much better and rank No. 31 in pass defense with 24 touchdowns allowed. Scheffler has struggled recently with only 15 catches for 219 yards and no touchdowns in his past five games, but the Broncos will be throwing plenty this week with no running game. Scheffler should see plenty of passes in his direction. Some other tight ends to consider this week based on the matchups include Gijon Robinson (vs. TEN), Todd Heap (vs. JAC), Donald Lee (vs. DET), Billy Miller (vs. CAR) and Visanthe Shiancoe (vs. NYG).
Sit 'Em
Dustin Keller (vs. MIA): Keller has disappeared from the offense the past three weeks with only six catches for 51 yards, and he hasn't scored a touchdown in his past six games. Keller was held without a catch in Week 1 at Miami, and the Dolphins have done well against opposing tight ends for most of this season. Keller could bounce back this week, but the safe option is to keep him reserved in Week 17.
L.J. Smith (vs. DAL): Smith had seven catches for 49 yards last week against Washington, but he hasn't scored a touchdown in his past six games and now has a tough matchup. The Cowboys are No. 4 in pass defense with only 17 passing touchdowns allowed. Smith only has three catches for 44 yards in his past two games against Dallas and hasn't scored a touchdown against the Cowboys in his past five meetings. That shouldn't change this week so keep Smith on your bench.
Marcedes Lewis (at BAL): Lewis had a great game last week against Indianapolis with six catches for 55 yards, but he has a much tougher matchup this week. The Ravens have done well against opposing tight ends all season. Before Jason Witten had five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown last week against Baltimore, the Ravens had shut down Kellen Winslow (seven catches for 78 yards in two games), Dallas Clark (two catches for 17 yards), Heath Miller (five catches for 34 yards in two games), Anthony Fasano (two catches for 25 yards), Zach Miller (two catches for 56 yards), Owen Daniels (one catch for 13 yards), Kevin Boss (no catches) and Chris Cooley (one catch for 12 yards). Baltimore will get back on track against Lewis this week.
Bust alert: Chris Cooley (at SF): Cooley only had four catches for 28 yards last week against Philadelphia and has now gone 10 games without scoring a touchdown. He's let down plenty of Fantasy owners this season, and that should continue this week. The 49ers have done well against opposing tight ends all season. In Cooley's last two road games at Baltimore and Cincinnati he combined for seven catches for 63 yards. He had five catches for 54 yards in his last trip to the West Coast at Seattle. Since Cooley plays Fantasy Football, I wonder if he cut himself this season. Plenty of Fantasy owners felt like releasing Cooley with the rough year that he's had. It's not going to get better in this game.
Defense/Special teams
Start 'Em
New England (at BUF): The Patriots DST was magnificent against Arizona last week and nearly had the shutout if not for a late touchdown by Larry Fitzgerald. Look for New England to play well again in this matchup. The Bills offense played well against Denver last week, but that's not saying much. If Marshawn Lynch is out and the Bills become one-dimensional, that will mean good things for the Patriots. Weather could also play a role in this game, and we've seen the Patriots handle it well with last week's performance against the Cardinals. They should have an encore performance in this game.
Other DSTs with good matchups: Tampa Bay (vs. OAK), Green Bay (vs. DET) and Atlanta (vs. STL)
Sit 'Em
Carolina (at NO): The Saints will be on a mission with Drew Brees trying to break Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record, which means lots of passing from the No. 1 Fantasy quarterback. While that could lead to some sacks and interceptions, the Saints will also mix in some running with Pierre Thomas. Don't expect much production from the Panthers DST this week, and there are other teams with better matchups. Carolina was run over by the Giants last week and now they will face an aerial attack that could lead to a historic performance from Brees.
Kicker
Start 'Em
John Kasay (at NO): The Panthers-Saints game has the chance to be high-scoring with Drew Brees trying to break Dan Marino's record and the Panthers doing whatever they can to win the game and assure themselves the No. 2 seed in the NFC. That bodes well for Kasay, who has a good history against New Orleans. Kasay made three field goals against the Saints in Week 7 and is 9-for-9 in his past five meetings. Kasay also is 16-for-16 on field goals in his past five trips to New Orleans. The Saints have allowed 30 field goals this season, and Kasay is 24-of-26 on field goals this year. It also helps to use a kicker playing indoors this week with weather still a problem at this time of year.
Other kickers with good matchups: Nate Kaeding (vs. DEN), Olindo Mare (at ARI) and Garrett Hartley (vs. CAR)
Sit 'Em
Nick Folk (at PHI): The weather conditions could be tough in Philadelphia, and Folk is used to the friendly confines of Texas Stadium. Folk has struggled on the road recently with two missed field goals in his past five attempts. He's had a down year in general with only 18 field goals in 20 attempts. The Cowboys seem to score touchdowns and not settle for field goals, which has hurt Folk's production this season. The Eagles also have done well against opposing kickers in only allowing 22 field goals this season. If the weather's rough, Folk could be in line for a long day.
Do you have a question for Jamey? 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 name, hometown and state.
