Welcome to week 14 of the National Football League season. Congratulations if you made your league's playoffs and my condolences if you did not. I blame Roger Goodell. Let me do my best to help you out this week in your playoffs with some guys who you should think about starting and sitting.
Start
Quarterbacks
Josh Freeman – The Philadelphia Eagles have hit rock bottom and their pass defense has drilled below the rock to depths of ineptitude known by just a few. Over the last six weeks the Eagles are giving up an amazing 76.3 completion percentage and 16 passing touchdowns to zero interceptions. Josh Freeman should have plenty of opportunity to put points on the board.
Eli Manning – The Saints lead the league in fantasy points given up to opposing quarterbacks and Eli Manning is this week’s opposing quarterback. Eli has broken out of his slump and has been playing well. Make sure he’s in your lineup this week.
Running Backs
Steven Jackson – Jackson has had some tough matchups of late, but has still managed to put up flex numbers. This week he gets a weak Buffalo Bills defense, who is giving up 118 yards and over a touchdown a game.
Knowshon Moreno – Knowshon Moreno has 24 touches in his first two starts of the season, with 20 rushing attempts and 4 receptions in each. His numbers have been middle of the road, but good enough to feel safe starting him against the Raiders who, over the last six games, have given up a whopping 131.5 yards rushing and 1.3 touchdowns per game to opposing running backs.
Wide Receivers
Vincent Jackson – Jackson had to face Champ Bailey last week, but gets the Eagles poor secondary this week. He should have a much easier time this week against a team giving up 162 yards a game to wide receivers over the last six weeks and 11 total touchdowns.
T.Y. Hilton – Hilton has had three 100 yard games and four touchdowns in the last five weeks and this week gets a Titans defense who is allowing a league high 69% completion rate on the season.
Tight Ends
Brandon Myers – Myers just went off against the Browns to the tune of 14 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown and this week he faces the Broncos, the second worst team in the league against tight ends. They have given up the most touchdowns to tight ends and the second most fantasy points.
Martellus Bennett – The Giants take on the Saints who, over the last 7 games, have given up the most fantasy points and receiving yards to opposing tight ends. This comes on the heels of a big game for Bennett against another poor tight end defense in Washington.
Sit
Quarterbacks
Carson Palmer – Palmer has been making his fantasy living in garbage time production this season, but in week 4 he totaled 202 yards and no touchdowns against the Broncos and they are playing even better of late
Philip Rivers – At this point you can’t really start Rivers anywhere at anytime, but especially this week in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have the best defense against quarterbacks this season and Rivers has been the opposite of the best quarterback this season.
Running Backs
Stevan Ridley – The Texans continue to play well against the run even while their pass defense falters. They’ve only allowed one 100 yard rusher and two rushing touchdowns. The Patriots will most likely rely on their passing game.
Reggie Bush – Bush continues to split time with Daniel Thomas and this week faces the still stout 49ers run defense. That puts him in nearly unstartable status. The 49ers are giving up just 3.6 yards per carry and the Dolphins will have trouble moving the ball at all.
Wide Receivers
Denarius Moore – Moore was demoted last week due to poor route running and just plain not getting it. He has tremendous ability, but he’s impossible to trust in the fantasy playoffs, especially with Champ Bailey in the mix.
Larry Fitzgerald – Well, you know the deal with Fitzgerald. Even with his horrible quarterbacks he had been able to put together some fantasy worth, but he’s even losing that now. And this week the Cardinals face the Seahawks in Seattle. That’s a tough place to play and it looks like the Seahawks big cornerbacks will still be appealing their suspensions, so will play.
Tight Ends
Antonio Gates – Gates has been subpar this season, like many tight ends, and going into Pittsburgh isn’t going to break him out of his slump. The Steelers are giving up the least amount of fantasy points to tight ends and just 41 yards per game.
Chet Gresham writes for Rotoworld.com and is the founder of The Fake Football, where you can get all your start/sit questions answered in the comments.
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