Welcome to week 13 of the National Football League season. This season has gone way too quickly for my liking, so let's savor these last few weeks by winning some fantasy football matchups.
Start
Quarterbacks
Peyton Manning – Over the last seven games Tampa Bay is giving up 309 yards passing and two passing touchdowns per game. Add to that cornerback Eric Wright’s suspension and you have the worst pass defense in the league somehow getting worse. Manning should have plenty of fantasy fun in the mile high city.
Chad Henne – In Henne’s last two games he has 615 yards passing, six touchdowns and only one interception. The Bills are the worst rush defense in the league, so teams often don’t have to pass that often against them, but they are still giving up the 9th most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Running Backs
Trent Richardson – If the Raiders can let plodding BenJarvus Green-Ellis run for 129 yards and a touchdown then Trent Richardson should go for about two-bills and a touchdown or two against them.
Jacquizz Rodgers – Rodgers had his best game of the season last week and was on the field for 31 snaps compared to 23 for Michael Turner. That was due in large part to Rodgers being the third down back and the Falcons being in pass mode, but it’s looking more and more like Rodgers is gaining the trust of the coaching staff. Add to that the Saints poor rush defense and you have something.
Wide Receivers
Demaryius Thomas – Thomas is on pace for nearly 1,500 yards receiving and gets the Tampa Bay pass defense this week. They have been giving up a league high 219 yards a game to wide receivers. He may reach 1,500 in this game alone.
Cecil Shorts – Mr. Shorts has proven himself to be more than just a flash in the pan. With a poor offense and quarterback, he was able to put up good numbers and now Chad Henne has been playing better than Blaine Gabbert, which makes Shorts an even safer start.
Tight Ends
Dallas Clark – The Broncos shouldn’t have much trouble moving the ball on the Buccaneers, so Josh Freeman will need to throw the ball more than not. Champ Bailey will most likely take on Vincent Jackson and the Broncos give up the most fantasy points to tight ends in the league.
Martellus Bennett – Tight ends have been extremely inconsistent this season, so picking the right tight end week to week has been tough. Bennett hasn’t been playing as well as he was early in the season, but faces the Redskins who have given up the second most fantasy points to tight ends.
Sit
Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco – In the last six games the Steelers have allowed just 147.2 passing yards per game and a total of three receiving touchdowns. And they played against Joe Flacco just two weeks ago.
Carson Palmer – Palmer had been putting up good garbage time fantasy points until last week against his old team. He’s still good for some garbage time points, but the Browns have actually been playing well against quarterbacks of late, giving up only two passing touchdowns over the last five games.
Running Backs
Chris Johnson – Johnson had a good game the last time the Titans met the Texans in week four, but most of his yards came after the game was already out of hand and the Texans were defending against the quick passing touchdowns. The Texans have only allowed one rushing touchdown all season
Ray Rice – You can’t technically “sit” Ray rice, because the fantasy Gods will strike you down dead, but if you are in an eight team league you might be able to get away with it. Rice rushed 20 times for 40 yards against the Steelers a couple weeks ago, which is darn poor.
Wide Receivers
Torrey Smith – Back to that Steelers defense theme. Smith was held to one reception the last time they met. He most likely will do better than that this week, but you have to move him to wide receiver three status against the Steel Show.
Larry Fitzgerald – Mr. Fitzgerald has Ryan Lindley and Antonio Cromartie to deal with this week. I’d be very, very, wary.
Tight Ends
Brandon Pettigrew – If he’s not dropping passes he’s catching them and falling to the ground for 6 yards. This week he faces the Colts who have actually been tough on tight ends this season, giving up just three receptions and 37 yards a 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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