web analytics

<div>Week 9 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Play or Bench Tips for Fantasy Football Owners</div>

Fantasy Football
November 5, 2015

Going into the Week 9 edition of Thursday Night Football, fantasy football owners have some tough start ’em, sit ’em decisions to make.

So it goes when six teams sit on a bye. It doesn’t help that the Thursday game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals could either be a shootout or a defensive affair in what is always an unpredictable divisional rivalry.

Below, let’s swing things back in owners’ favor with a look at value comparisons for players owners will have to deal with this week and take a deeper dive on some of the more difficult decisions.

 

QB 

Start: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. OAK)

Owners have every right to angst with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Big Ben made his anticipated return last week, but instead of blowing up for 18 or more points like he did over his first two healthy games, he posted just eight while tossing three interceptions.

It gets easier for Roethlisberger, though, who puts the strong Bengals in the past and moves on to an exploitable Oakland Raiders defense. The Raiders allow the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year and have been especially leaky over the last two weeks, allowing 21 or more points.

Call it a nice floor for Big Ben, who will only improve by the week.

 

Sit: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (at NYJ)

It’s easy to forget that Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles ranks as fantasy’s 11th-highest scorer at the position this year.

Team records don’t matter, hence Bortles‘ three outings with 20 or more points this year. He’s been great and is surrounded by an underrated cast featuring Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson, but he’s not a surefire start every week. 

Case in point: this week on the road against the New York Jets. The Jets allow the seventh-fewest points to quarterbacks, and while they’ve had a sloppy few games as of late, Darrelle Revis and Co. won’t struggle for long. Owners can do better.

 

RB  

Start: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills (vs. MIA)

Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy hasn’t lived up to expectations with his new team, but to be fair, he’s dealt with injuries on his way to just two double-digit performances. 

Coming out of a bye, though, Shady should have a big game against the Miami Dolphins, although he heaped praise on the opposition this week, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald:

Culture change or not, Shady still posted eight points against the Dolphins back in Week 3 on just 11 carries, and they have still let up 23 or more points to opposing backfields in four of five games.

With Shady seeing 17 or more carries in each of his past two outings, he’s going to score well against the unit.

 

Sit: Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts (vs. DEN)

Owners still believe in Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore, he of 97 percent ownership

Gore has a pair of double-digit outbursts this year, but he hasn’t done so since Week 5. In fact, both of those occurrences came against fellow weak AFC South teams, Tennessee and Houston.

Denver isn’t in the terrible division, nor is it comparable. The Broncos might have the best defense in the league and have allowed opposing backfields to reach double digits just four times.

In what looks like a Peyton ManningAndrew Luck shootout, Gore’s going to struggle against an elite unit.

 

WR  

Start: Eric Decker, New York Jets (vs. JAC)

When healthy, New York Jets wideout Eric Decker is one of the league’s notable target monsters. 

Over six games this year, the veteran has 45 targets, good for 30 grabs for 393 yards and five scores. The numbers have helped him to three double-digit outings, and in the other three games, he’s scored nine points apiece.

Decker has at least four catches in five of his six outings, numbers he’s sure to hit if running mate Brandon Marshall cannot go. In fact, he might hit on even more regardless of Marshall’s status against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has let up 22 or more points to wideouts four times this year.

Opportunities equal production at wideout in the right offenses these days, making Decker a must-play option.

 

Sit: Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams (at MIN)

It’s been a fun ride with St. Louis Rams wideout Tavon Austin, who quietly sits among the top 13 scorers at his position this year by way of 13-, 23- and 21-point outings. 

Yet four games with no more than eight points still suggests he can be quite the lineup-ruiner, not because of his ability, but due to the coaching staff’s irregular usage habits.

The situation makes Austin a no-fly zone against the Minnesota Vikings, a routinely strong defense against most anything. Minnesota surrenders the eighth-most points to wideouts this year, and only one group of opposing wideouts has scored more than one touchdown against it in a game.

Austin will have problems making an impact against the unit on the road, so owners should look elsewhere.

 

TE  

Start: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. OAK)

Owners only have Pittsburgh’s Heath Miller in 47.1 percent of leagues, which makes sense. 

After all, from Week 3 to Week 7, the veteran tight end totaled just five points.

To be frank, it’s disgusting output, but it goes to show how much Miller relies on Big Ben for production.

Oh, and Roethlisberger is back. With Big Ben under center, Miller posted eight and nine points to open the season, then went for 10 this past weekend. In fact, Miller might be one of the most consistent tight ends in the league with his starting quarterback at the helm, just in time for an encounter with an Oakland defense allowing the most points on average to the position by almost a full two points.

The weekly strategy at tight end has been to start whoever lines up against Oakland. This week, it’s Miller, who once again showed how consistent he is with Big Ben.

 

Sit: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (vs. PHI)

Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys sits in the opposite situation. 

He’s reliable, but owners should steer mostly clear until Tony Romo returns to action. Witten catches a ton of passes but doesn’t go anywhere with them, hence his four or more catches in every game but one this year, but he’s only reached double digits and paydirt in Week 1.

Don’t expect things to change against the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Dallas’ division rival allows the fewest points to tight ends this year, having let up just one touchdown.

For at least this week, Witten needs to ride all benches.

 

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 5. Statistics courtesy of ESPN. Detroit, Kansas City, Arizona, Seattle, Baltimore, Houston on bye. 

Follow Chris_Roling on Twitter

Read more Fantasy Football news on NerdyFootball.com

NFL

Fantasy Football

Opinion

Fantasy

You Might Also Like