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Fantasy: Championship Week – Start ’em, Sit ’em

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

Its championship weekend in fantasy football, hopefully you’ve made it to the big game. Just one final set of selections could stand between you and the fantasy trophy for 2019. So let’s get into those all important picks!

QB – Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Image credit: Todd Kirkland – Getty Images

Matt Ryan has performed very well the past two weeks putting up 34 points against the Carolina Panthers and then 23 against a very good San Francisco 49ers defense. Without any real run game, the Falcons quarterback will have it all to do again but he is up against a very generous Jacksonville defense who have allowed a passer rating of 119.6 and an average of more than 22 fantasy points to opposing QB’s since week 12.

The Falcons have disappointed this season but Matt Ryan is still a very capable starter for championship weekend.

QB – Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) at Philadelphia Eagles

Dak has been struggling with a shoulder injury but there is no chance he misses the biggest game of the season for the Cowboys. The winner of this game will essentially be the winner of the poor NFC East division. Both the Cowboys and Eagles came into the season expecting the division to be close, but not quite in this way.

Prescott put up 28 fantasy points against the Rams last week and in their first meeting against the Eagles, Prescott was 21-27 for 278 yard, one touchdown and an interception but the Eagles secondary is beatable. In this big game, I see the Cowboys taking the win and claiming the NFC East.

Notable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Bucs) vs Houston Texans, Ryan Tannehill (Titans) vs New Orleans Saints.

RB – Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Miami Dolphins

Mixon deserves some credit for his performance in 2019. The Bengals may well have the worst record in the NFL but he has been very productive, especially of late. In 6 of the last 7 games Mixon has at least 16 PPR points in some tough matches against the Rams, Ravens and Patriots. In last weeks game against New England he finished with 25 carries for 136 yards and 3 receptions for 20 yards. The Dolphins have allowed six touchdowns to opposing teams running backs in the past 4 games and at least 27 fantasy points per game!

RB – DeAndre Washington (Oakland Raiders) @ LA Chargers

Josh Jacobs is out so Washington is your starter. In week 14, Jacobs was out injured allowing Washington to be the lead back. He had a stat line of 53 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown as well as six catches for 43 yards on seven targets. This production resulted in 21.6 fantasy points and he up against a Chargers defense who have allowed 15 touchdowns and nearly 26 fantasy points a game to running backs. He is a great starter option in the flex.

Notable Mentions – Miles Sanders (Eagles) vs Dallas Cowboys, Marlon Mack (Colts) vs Carolina Panthers.

WR – Terry McLaurin (Washington Redskins) vs NY Giants

McLaurin had a little bit of a slump in recent weeks, that was until he put up 32 fantasy points against the Eagles! In the past two weeks he has 9 catches on 12 targets for 187 yards and two touchdowns. It would appear that he is finally clicking with Dwayne Haskins (who was also his QB at Ohio State) and the Redskins look primed for great production from both in the coming years.

The Giants allow the fifth most fantasy points to opposing receivers and they are tied for third in touchdowns allowed to receivers with 20. McLaurin missed the first match between the teams this season but look for him to make up for the missed time with a good stat line.

WR – Tyler Boyd (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Miami Dolphins

Its championship weekend and I’m picking two players to start from the team with the worst record in the NFL! Thats the beauty of fantasy football. To an extent, you can ignore the teams record and just look at match ups, and Boyd has a great one this week against the Miami Dolphins defense.

The Dolphins have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, with 25. With A.J. Green and Auden Tate both out, Boyd will see plenty of opportunities which is always good news for fantasy owners.

Notable Mentions – Tyler Lockett (Seahawks) vs Arizona Cardinals, Breshad Perriman (Bucs) vs Houston Texans.

TE – Hunter Henry (LA Chargers) vs Oakland Raiders

Image credit: Jack Roth – USA Today Sports

Henry is coming off an awful game in last weeks loss to the Vikings but he has a positive matchup this week against the Oakland Raiders. The last time these two teams met, Henry had a touchdown and 13 fantasy points. The Raiders defense has allowed the sixth most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Henry should see plenty of targets if you have survived long enough to stick with him!

TE – Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) vs Dallas Cowboys

Goedert is a solid fantasy starter this week at the tight end position. The Dallas Cowboys defense was highly thought of before the season started but they haven’t really lived up to the hype. They have also been exploited by tight ends all season. Goedert and Ertz lead the Eagles in the passing game so look for the Eagles to attack the Cowboys weakness often.

Goedert has seen at least 6 targets in every game since week 11 and he should eclipse that against the Cowboys with injuries at the wide receiver position.

Notable Mentions: Jared Cook (Saints) @ Tennesse Titans.

QB – Tom Brady (New England Patriots) vs Buffalo Bills

Brady is struggling, make no excuses about that. This week he is facing a very good Buffalo defense that caused him all sorts of problems earlier in the season. I wouldn’t just list Brady as a sit but as a total bust this week!

RB – Carlos Hyde (Houston Texans) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hyde performed well against the Titans last week but I wouldn’t trust him on Championship weekend. The Bucs defense have allowed just 3.1 yards per rush this season which ranks third in the league. It’s too risky in my opinion.

WR – John Brown (Buffalo Bills) @ New England Patriots

Any receiver that is going up against Stephon Gilmore I would list as a sit. Gilmore is arguably the best corner in the league, stats don’t lie. Perimeter receivers have scored just two touchdowns all season against the Pats and have averaged the fewest fantasy points.

TE – Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) vs Philadelphia Eagles

Witten had a solid performance last week against the Rams but the Eagles defense has been tough on opposing tight ends allowing just 4 touchdowns and the fifth fewest fantasy points this season. In the week 7 matchup between the two teams, Witten was held to just 33 yards. Don’t chase the points based on last week!

Start ’em, Sit ’em (HOU @ TEN, PHI @ WAS, CLE @ ARI, MIN @ LAC)

blog, Fantasy, Paul, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Paul Maughan (@morny7)

Texans at Titans

QB – Ryan Tannehill

This is a direct copy from last week, but seriously, it’s impossible to ignore what he’s doing. He is playing at a level higher than pretty much any other quarterback not named Lamar Jackson. Now that he’s let out from under the shadow of Adam Gase, he’s flourishing and if you were smart enough to pick him up cheap weeks ago, he’s been a gift. This week, there’s the added bonus that the Texan’s defence is a gift for opposing QBs (just ask Drew Lock).

I never thought I’d say it, but you cannot afford to ignore Ryan Tannehill for your playoff semi-final.

RB – D.Johsnon/C.Hyde

Both running backs are alright, and might get a modest point tally, but expect the Texans to attack vertically (this should be a big, big DeAndre Hopkins week) and what’s left for the backfield will be split. In a week where you’ll be looking for huge weeks from your running backs I wouldn’t be rolling the dice of either of these.

However, if it’s a roll of the dice you’re looking for……

Eagles at Redskins

RB – Miles Sanders

Yes, the Eagles backfield is a minefield for fantasy, but Sanders production has been consistently climbing week-on-week. With Jordan Howard still struggling to get fit, Sanders should continue to thrive. He’ll get lots of touches, giving him a nice safe floor, and his big play and receiving upside means he could be the sort of flex option to get you through to your playoff final.

RB – Adrian Peterson

He’ll get lots of touches and probably do okay (fantasy-wise). But you’re basically picking him for a maximum point potential of 12 points, and up against an Eagles run-defence which has consistently out-performed the secondary this year you’d be lucky to hit that. If you’re desperate for a Redskins pivot in this one, go for Terry McLaurin instead. Peterson is nowhere near being the right play here.

Browns at Cardinals

RB – Kareem Hunt

He’s been superb since returning from suspension, and he should flourish against such a porous defence. He gets slightly less of the rushing workload (behind Nick Chubb), but even so gets his share of rushing touchdowns. More importantly for people in PPR leagues, he’s to all intents and purposes a slot receiver and a points-magnet. If he’s on our roster, he has to play this week. It’s a no brainer.

RB – David Johnson

He’s had a very, very quiet season anyway but he’s almost been cut out of the passing game and is currently the middle man in a three-man backfield timeshare (Kenyon Drake is number one, Chase Edmunds number three – beware, none are good fantasy picks!). The Browns have a tough, steely defence and Johnson will barely lay a glove on them.

Vikings at Chargers

WR – Keenan Allen

Allen has been consistently great, without anyone mentioning it, all year. Rivers has had his struggles but he’s successfully used Allen as a safety blanket and his numbers show this. Against a Vikings defence which, surprisingly, gives up a lot of points to WRs, Allen has a floor of around 13-15 points. With a bit of luck and a touchdown or two, he could smash straight through his ceiling.

QB – Kirk Cousins

The world’s most belittled Franchise Quarterback should really struggle this week. The Chargers have a solid defence and don’t give up many points to wide receivers at all, and the Vikings will be expecting to hang their whole offense on Dalvin Cook (who should be a fantasy goldmine this week). Don’t even consider going near Cousins, he could derail your whole season.

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em – JAX@OAK, ATL@SF, LAR@DAL, BUF@PIT

blog, Dave, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

The business end. Squeaky bum time. New Orleans heartbreak-time.

If your Fantasy Playoffs hadn’t started lasted week then they do this weekend. Here are your Starts/Sits for a selection of the late window games.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Oakland Raiders

RB – Leonard Fournette

In a game between two teams who are now just looking to next season it is difficult to look past anything other than a huge Leonard Fournette game against a Raiders team that, when it comes to Fantasy, is a burst water mains.

They allow an average of nearly 20 points per game to running backs and despite Fournette only having 3 TDs to his name this year I am backing him to have a monster game this week.

RB – Josh Jacobs

This is prefaced on the idea that I am expecting very little from Oakland this weekend after they’ve been blown out the last two weeks.

If it looks like going that way again I expect Gruden to pull his stars from the game again and that’s before we even take into account that Jacobs is banged up and could even see a limited snap count for a meaningless end of season game. This is not a statistical sit ‘em but if it comes to garbage time offense I don’t expect to see Jacobs on the field.

Atlanta Falcons @ San Francisco 49ers

D/ST – SF 49ers

Yes, they gave up 46 points against the Saints. Yes, Matt Ryan is a great QB.

However, who’s he going to throw to other than Austin Hooper? I expect Jones is going to be double covered and he’s not gone above 100 receiving yards since Week 8. Ridley has been shut down for the year and I’d be amazed if the 49ers gave up anything close to 46 points in their own stadium.

This is an absolute lock of a start if you have them.

RB – Devonta Freeman

In the game where he recorded his first rushing score of the year, Freeman also picked up a knee injury in the blowout win over the Panthers.

I expect him to play come Sunday but much like Josh Jacobs for the Raiders, I expect a limited snap count if he’s good to go.

Add in that the 49ers D and the Falcons O Line is absolute garbage and it’s a pretty potent mix for Freeman having another poor week.

Los Angeles Rams @ Dallas Cowboys

TE – Tyler Higbee

Two straight 100+ yard games for Higbee have made him a viable playoff option if – like me – you’ve got a Questionable Mark Andrews/Noah Fant issue.

The Rams have all of a sudden become a viable playoff contender after their embarrassment at the hands of the Ravens and they face off against a Cowboys team who are…underachieving? Not very good? Still leading their division?!

The Cowboys allow an average of just over 7 points per game to Tight Ends but when they’ve faced some viable top ten TEs they’ve struggled. They gave up two scores to Kyle Rudolph in Week 10 and I’d argue their D hasn’t got much better since.

Some Fantasy matchups could come down to that extra catch from your Tight End and I’d back Higbee ahead of most other TEs this week.

K – Kai Forbath

Brett Maher is gone after a series of whiffed kicks and in comes a Kai the Guy whose kicking this season is 1/1 on FGs and 1/2 on XPs. Rusty? I’d say.

This is another that is not stat-based as there isn’t enough to go on with Forbath but if you still had Maher in your team, a) what were you thinking and b) sign anyone else to replace him. You can’t trust Forbath – or even the Cowboys in general – to come good this week when a Fantasy Playoff Final appearance hangs in the balance.

Buffalo Bills @ Pittsburgh Steelers

RB – Devin Singletary

A pretty stellar game against the stifling Ravens D for Singletary last week gives a good indication that he could repeat against the Steelers this week in what should be another Defense-heavy game as both these teams look to take a step towards the playoffs.

He’s topped 100 scrimmage yards each of the last three weeks and given how stingy the Steelers secondary is I expect him to have plenty of touches this Sunday night/Monday morning, he had 17 carries and was 6/8 on targets against the Ravens.

WR – James Washington

In a dead rubber Fantasy matchup last week I started Washington, just to test the water about if he’d be able to repeat his brilliant Week 13 performance in a favourable matchup against the Cardinals. Plot spoiler: He didn’t. Post credits scene: I started him ahead of Emmanuel Sanders.

If he’s not going to break off big points against the Cards then don’t expect him to do anything against the Bills who, much like the Steelers secondary, are stingy, stifling and downright superb.

This Sit ‘Em can apply to any Pittsburgh pass-catcher, frankly.

Best of luck to you all this weekend, if anyone wants to tell me that Ryan Tannehill will get found out against the Texans and Saquon Barkley is going to finally turn a big performance in then I’m all ears!

Start ’em, Sit ’em – NYJ@BAL, IND@NO, TB@DET, DEN@KC

blog, Fantasy, Jake, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Jake Linley-Brown (@JakeLB12)

There’s 3 weeks left of the regular season, 2 weeks-ish remaining until Christmas, and 1 more Thursday night football game to watch, which is a perfect segue to our starting point. Let’s commence.

JETS @ RAVENS

RB – Mark Ingram

The Jets have one of the best run defences in the league, but there are a few red flags here. Not playing for anything and going again on a short week would make me nervous. My biggest fear? The opponent. Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens are the best rushing team in the league, rushing for over 50 yards more on average than the nearest team, the 49ers. With a little incentive such as home field advantage in the playoffs well within reach now, and game script likely meaning pounding the ball down a banged-up Jets D’s throat, I want all of Mark Ingram on Thursday.

Side note – Gus Edwards, if you’re in a desperate spot at Flex this week, might get a lot of garbage time volume. Just a thought.

QB – Sam Darnold

Contrary to Mark Ingram, I want none of Sam Darnold this week. As he’s about to embark on a brutal stretch (@BAL, PIT, @ BUF – yikes), Darnold might wish he had mono again for the month of December. This Ravens D is 8^th in the league for takeaways and giving very little to anyone lined up behind centre. Darnold, however, just had a two week stretch against the Bengals and Miami where he started off bad to only reach lukewarm status; not good considering the opposing defences and the opportunity they both bring. I’ll pass.

COLTS @ SAINTS

WR – Marcus Johnson

Fast forward to the Monday night game now, and because tis’ the season for miracles, I’m going left-field on this one. Marcus Johnson was probably a guy you hadn’t heard of a month ago but this past Sunday against the Bucs, he came to the party. 3 catches, 105 yards and a touchdown looks like a line you’d see on ‘Madden’, but there is no denying the deep threat he carries. Using just common sense here, T.Y. Hilton is likely to be out again and Zach Pascal will almost certainly be shadowed by Marshon Lattimore. Can Marcus make the most of this opportunity?

Everyone but D. Brees, A.Kamara and M.Thomas

This might be seen as a cop out and you’re right, it is. But my thought process for this matchup solely relies on two things. For one, I anticipate Sean Payton does everything he can to resuscitate Alvin Kamara, this week. The star running back, who has majorly underwhelmed fantasy owners this season, scored 6.3 PPR points on Sunday in a game where his team scored 46 points – go figure. Secondly, I expect Michael Thomas to feast as always and by this point, will the Saints need to throw the ball anyway on a Colts D that is floundering? I doubt it.

BUCCANEERS @ LIONS

TE – OJ Howard

The big news out of Tampa this week is that Mike Evans looks done for the year. This means it’s officially ~~Chris Godwin~~ OJ. Howard season. I’m kidding, of course, but it does potentially mean Howard could be in for some more looks going forward. Jameis will continue to throw the ball for what seems a 100 times each week, and Godwin can’t catch them all, so we’re just playing the percentages here. O.J., fresh off the back of his highest receiving yardage of the season on Sunday, gets the Lions D this week who looks ready for their holidays to begin. In my book, it’s worth a punt.

RB – Bo Scarbrough

Scarbrough is an absolute tank of a man and I would not tell him he’s featuring in the ‘SIT’ section to his face. That being said, he’s thousands of miles away, so I’m going to act hard. Don’t get me wrong, the volume is there (19 carries last week), but he’s trending down in terms of points this past month. Reports are also stating he’s a ‘little sore’ from the loss against the Vikings. The biggest downer? The Bucs, for all their flaws, are an excellent unit against the run. In other words, don’t bo-lieve the hype.

BRONCOS @ CHIEFS

WR – Courtland Sutton

To me, this one is a no-brainer. Despite logging a quiet day in the shock win over Houston (5 catches, 34 yards), Sutton still saw more targets than any of his teammates. New rookie QB Drew Lock looks like he might be the key to salvaging some of this Denver season, and there’s no reason to doubt Sutton being a beneficiary. In the first meeting of these two teams this season, Courtland scored 14.7 PPR points thanks to 6 catches and 87 yards. The second meeting might entail playing catch up early, so let’s hope for more of the same this time round.

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

It’s playoff time in fantasy football. No matter how well you have done up to now, one mistake could cost you the season. To help you as much as possible we have broken the games down. For this article we will be looking at just 4 games;

Panthers @ Falcons
Dolphins @ Jets
Chargers @ Jaguars
Steelers @ Cardinals

QB – Sam Darnold (NY Jets) vs Miami Dolphins

Yes, Darnold had an absolute stinker against the Bengals. The Jets did the typical Jets thing and got beaten by the only remaining unbeaten team in the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the awful performance last week I would still persist with Darnold against another poor opponent in the Miami Dolphins. Prior to the Bengals game, Darnold had produced at least 21 fantasy points in three straight games and the Dolphins have allowed 29 touchdowns and the third most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this season. A divisional game at home, surely the Jets will make a massive improvement on last weeks performance.

QB – Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs Carolina Panthers

In the slate of games that we are covering here, the only other quarterback I would start is Matt Ryan. The Falcons have stated that they won’t be shutting down Matt Ryan or Julio Jones even though this has been a very disappointing season. Ryan had a solid performance in week 13 throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons do have injuries on offense but all signs point towards Jones and Hooper being back to face the Panthers. The Falcons have struggled to run the ball this year so Ryan will need to get the offense going again. Look for him to eclipse 300 yards once more and find the end zone at least twice. Although this one does carry risk.

RB – Austin Ekeler (LA Chargers) vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Image credit: Douglas Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images

Melvin Gordon has taken over the lead running back role from Ekeler but he still putting up good fantasy numbers. He has scored at least 16 points in the last two games and he has a favourable matchup against a Jaguars defense that have allowed 6 touchdowns and the second most fantasy points to running backs since week 10. Ekeler has become a massive weapon in the passing game for the Chargers, with four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown last week. He may not be the number one back but he will continue to see plenty of action.

RB -Benny Snell Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Arizona Cardinals

A free spot in the flex? I would be tempted to start Benny Snell. With James Conner being unavailable Snell has become the main man in the backfield for the Steelers leading the team in both snaps and touches during the last two games. He had 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown last week against the Browns. The cardinals have surrendered 11 total touchdowns and account for 9 of the top 20 fantasy performances by opposing running backs this season.

WR – D.J. Moore (Carolina Panthers) at Atlanta Falcons

D.J. Moore is posting great fantasy numbers recently. In fact, he has scored at least 17 fantasy points in the past 5 weeks and has an average of 103 yards per game! This run includes an impressive 31.4 fantasy points against the Saints in week 12. He has a very good chance at keeping this run going against a Falcons defense that has given up 10 touchdowns and the fifth most fantasy points to receivers lined up out wide. Moore has averaged over 32 routes per game in that position and he has at least 9 targets in the previous six games.

WR – James Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Arizona Cardinals

Image credit: Joe Sergent / Getty Images

With JuJu Smith-Schuster very likely to miss another week, I would not hesitate in starting Washington who made the most of JuJu being missing last week with four catches for 111 yards and a touchdown against the Browns. The Steelers may have mediocre QB play but Washington is making the most of his opportunities. He has topped 90 yards and scored a touchdown in 3 of the last 4 games and boasts a massive 19.3 yards per catch average! This week he is up against a Cardinals defense that has been giving up deep shots all season, surrendering an average of nearly 5 plays per game of over 20 yards!

TE – Ryan Griffin (NY Jets) vs Miami Dolphins

Image credit: Douglas DeFelice / `USA Today

Griffin is up against the Dolphins who have been very generous to opposing teams tight ends this season allowing more than 15 fantasy points to the position since week 10 and Griffin has already scored 11 fantasy points against the Dolphins in week 9 where he had six catches on eight targets for 50 yards. With tight ends at a premium this season, Griffin is a solid option this week.

TE – Vance McDonald (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Arizona Cardinals

McDonald hasn’t put up any real fantasy numbers in recent weeks but here come the Cardinals who have been hit hard by tight ends all season long. The Cardinals have given up 13 touchdowns to opposing tight ends and although McDonald may be a risky choice, he should see plenty of targets this week, especially in the red zone.

QB – Philip Rivers (LA Chargers) at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars defense have allowed just 16.7 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and just 8 touchdowns on their home field. Rivers could also be benched as the Chargers playoff hope disappear and Rivers will soon be a free agent.

RB – Kenyan Drake (Arizona Cardinals) at Pittsburgh Steelers

Drake may well be the leading back for the Cardinals but he could be in for another quiet day against the Steelers.

WR – D.J. Chark (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs LA Chargers

Prior to last weeks game against the Broncos, the Chargers have contained number 1 receivers very well and Chark is trending down with 10 fantasy points or fewer in three of the past four games. Chark is a risk that is not worth taking in the playoffs!

TE – Jaeden Graham (Atlanta Falcons) at Carolina Panthers

Graham had a very productive week against the Saints in week 13 with 16.10 fantasy points but don’t be tempted by one performance. Hooper will be back so Graham’s chances may be limited.

Start ’em, Sit ’em – (IND@TB, WSH@GB, DET@MIN)

blog, Fantasy, Rob, Start 'em / Sit 'em

by Rob Grimwood – @FFBritBaller

Congratulations to all of you that managed to secure a playoff berth in your fantasy leagues. But unfortunately the hard work has only just begun. What can you do to avoid being one and done? Check out my start/sits for this week:

Redskins @ Packers

Starts:

Derrius Guice – impressed last week with over 135 all purpose yards and a brace of touchdowns to pad the fantasy performance. Despite having a stout overall defense, the Packers do give up the 5th most fantasy points to opposing Running Backs. Guice has done enough over the last two weeks with his 23 total touches over that span to suggest the backfield ownership is trending in his direction as he takes the reins from future hall of famer, Adrian Peterson.

Image result for derrius guice td — Photo Credit: Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post

Jimmy Graham, Aaron Jones, Jeremy Sprinkle

Sits:

Terry McLaurin – Despite having an incredible rookie campaign, the start of the end of line came last week for the Redskins’ biggest success on offense in 2019. The Packers find themselves in the top 10 against opposing wide receivers and I think if the ‘Skins are going to get a result in Lambeau, it’s going to be a low scoring chess match won with running the ball, not through the air

Lions @ Vikings

Starts:

Alexander Mattison – This start is a logical pick. Dalvin Cook is questionable as things stand. If he plays, it will likely be on a snap count or a limited role at least, meaning Mattison will get a fair amount of carries. The Lions give up 22.33 fantasy points to RB’s every week (29th in the NFL), so with Mattison likely due for a bigger role this week, start him and win your week, the Vikes know how to run the ball with great success.

Photo Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn / AP photo

Honorable Mentions:

Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones

Sits:

Kyle Rudolph – With the likely return of Adam Thielen this week, Rudolph’s recent purple patch may be coming to an end. When Thielen has been on the field, Rudolph averages 4.33 .5ppr points per game as oppose to 15.2 when he’s missing. Despite the Lions being a fairly decent matchup for fantasy tight ends, i personally think Rudolph will see a bigger role back on line duty with their main passing weapon back.

Colts @ Bucs

Start:

Zach Pascal – T.Y Hilton will likely miss out again this week. With Parris Campbell, Eric Ebron and Devin Funchess all on I.R, it’s a case of next man up, once again, for the main pass catching options in Indianapolis. The Bucs are stone last when giving fantasy points up to opposing wide receivers, and as Pascal is the main, and only household name out wide for Indy, meaning it’s a no brainer start. Pascal will be super cheap in DFS too this week, so keep your eyes peeled.

Honorable Mentions:

Jack Doyle, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett

Sits:

ALL RB’S!! Both defenses in this match ups have very solid run defenses. Both are in the top 5 when talking least amount of fantasy points given up to running backs. There is no telling whether Peyton Barber or Ronald Jones will be the lead back for Tampa Bay, and if Marlon Mack misses again, will Jonathan Williams get another shot or will it be a three headed monster again between Williams, Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins for Indy? Don’t let these messy backfields be a factor in an all-important playoff match-up for your fantasy teams.

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em – Week 13 Thanksgiving

Andy Goddard, blog, Fantasy, Start 'em / Sit 'em

By Andy Goddard (@godsy1985)

Fantasy playoffs are on the line as we head into week 13. This week could be the difference between an extended fantasy season or the commiseration, sorry, consolation bowl. Let’s help your push for those final playoff places as we look at the Thanksgiving games and some of the early Sunday games.

QB – Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ New York Giants

Rodgers is coming off a poor performance against the 49ers but he should be started this week. A trip to the big apple provides him with the perfect tonic to that stingy 49ers defence. The New York Giants have given up 7 touchdowns and the fifth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks since week 9.

The Packers QB has had an up and down season, struggling at the beginning before clicking into gear. Is he still a top 3 QB in the league? Some would argue not on current form. He has scored big against poor defences (Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs) but has also amassed just 10 fantasy points against the likes of the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. It’s time for another big week from Rodgers, and this is it. Start!

QB – Sam Darnold (NY Jets) at Cincinatti Bengals

Mr Mono in week 2 could give your fantasy team the kiss of life heading into the playoffs! Darnold is up against the Bengals, who give up an average of 22 fantasy points to opposing QB’s, do you need me to tell you anymore?!

If you still aren’t sold then let’s look at the numbers. Darnold has been in great fantasy form, scoring at least 21 points in three straight games and, during that run of games, he has found the end zone on 9 occasions!

He also has a favourable line up of games upcoming against the Giants, Redskins and Raiders. Darnold could legitimately take you to fantasy glory.

Notable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Bucs) @ Jacksonville Jaguars, Josh Allen (Bills) @ Dallas Cowboys.

RB – Ronald Jones (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

This could be a huge week for Jones! The Jaguars haven’t been able to stop the run in the past three games so Jones could go off in a similar way to Carlos Hyde, Marlon Mack, Jonathan Williams and Derrick Henry, who have each rushed for over 100 yards!

The Jags have also allowed five rushing touchdowns in those three games. Jones has scored at least 15 fantasy points in three of the past five games and he is primed for a big return this week!

RB – David Montgomery (Chicago Bears) @ Detroit Lions

The Bears should dominate the time of possession in this Thanksgiving match up as the Lions don’t have a QB and the Bears have a great defense. The Lions give up the second most fantasy points to running backs and are second in touchdowns given up to running backs. Montgomery had an average game against the Lions in week 10 finishing with 60 yards on 17 carries but I don’t think this game will be as close as that one was. He is definitely worth a spot in the flex.

Notable Mentions – Miles Sanders (Eagles) @ Miami Dolphins, Devin Singletary (Bills) @ Dallas Cowboys.

WR – Tyler Boyd (Cincinatti Bengals) vs NY Jets

You may shake you head at this one but Andy Dalton should be back under centre this week against the Jets and Boyd scored at least 12 fantasy points in five of the eight games he played with Dalton this season. In week 12 he also had a very good outing with Finley throwing him the ball. Boyd finished with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. The Jets defense is also struggling against the pass, allowing 10 touchdowns to receivers in the past five games. Don’t let the Bengals record get in the way of what could be a very productive day for Tyler Boyd.

WR – Jamison Crowder (New York Jets) @ Cincinnati Bengals

I think the Jets at the Bengals is going to be a little bit of a shootout so I would also start Jamison Crowder in this one. He had a poor game against the Raiders last week, finishing with only two catches for 18 yards but this week he is up against that terrible Bengals defense. Cincinnati has allowed eight receivers to score at least 11 fantasy points in the past five games and they have given up 4 touchdowns during that span.

Notable Mentions – John Brown (Bills) @ Dallas Cowboys, DeVante Parker (Dolphins) vs Philadelphia Eagles.

TE – Jack Doyle (Indianapolis Colts) vs Tennessee Titans

The Colts have lost Eric Ebron for the season so Doyles targets will go up.

Ebron had 21 targets in the past three games, so the evidence lends itself to the fact that Brissett likes his tight ends. Doyle has a nice matchup this week against the Tennessee Titans as their defense has struggled against the tight end position, allowing 15 fantasy points in each of the past 5 games.

He could be an absolute steal this week as he could still be available on the waiver wire to boast your chances at the end of the season.

TE – Ryan Griffin (NY Jets) @ Cincinatti Bengals

It feels like I’m beating up on the Bengals but unfortunately, so are other teams offences! Griffin has scored at least 10 fantasy points in four of the last five games including four touchdowns. The Bengals have allowed three touchdowns to tight ends in the past four games with three of the players amassing at least 11 fantasy points.

Notable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles) @ Miami Dolphins.

QB – Daniel Jones (New York Giants) vs Green Bay Packers

The Packers defense got destroyed last week but I have them bouncing back this week and shutting down the Giants offense. Jones scored just 14.7 fantasy points last week against the bears and I think he scores even lower this week.

RB – Latavius Murray (New Orleans Saints) @ Atlanta Falcons

Kamara is healthy and Murray’s touches are trending downwards. Since Kamara’s return Murray is averaging just 7.4 touches per game and he has scored fewer than 5 fantasy points during that stretch.

WR – Kenny Golladay (Detroit Lions) vs Chicago Bears

Stafford is out, Driskel is hurt and Blough could be coming in. Don’t take the risk and just sit Golladay. Even with Stafford under centre I would advise the sit Golladay as the Bears have only allowed 5 touchdowns to opposing teams receivers this season, which is third behind Buffalo and New England.

TE – Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) vs Buffalo Bills

Witten has gone nine games without a touchdown and he has scored fewer than 9 fantasy points in four of his last five games. The Bills give up the second fewest fantasy points to tight ends and have allowed just one touchdown to the position all season. Easiest sit of the week!