Even five years ago, fantasy football owners didn’t have as many voices and resources to utilize when making those tough start ’em, sit ’em decisions.
Call it the perfect example of a double-edged sword—having so many experts, advanced stats, spreadsheets and everything else that comes with fake football research these days is great, but it also arms an owner’s competitors to the teeth with information, too.
The best way to keep up? Do more homework. Below, let’s take a look at how three of the industry’s top voices feel about some of this week’s most interesting start-sit situations.
Jamey Eisenberg, CBSSports.com
Notable Start: Darren McFadden, RB, Dallas Cowboys (vs. PHI)
It seems everyone continues to hop on the Darren McFadden train these days, with Jamey Eisenberg the latest despite a rough matchup.
McFadden took over as the starter a few weeks back but now has to deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. It doesn’t sound like much, but those Eagles let up the fourth-fewest points to the position on average.
Eisenberg says not to fret, though:
The matchup is awful for McFadden this week, but I don’t care and neither should you. His usage has been great, and he should find a way to at least repeat his performance from last week, which was 10 Fantasy points in an equally tough matchup against Seattle. The Eagles have allowed just two running backs to score double digits in Fantasy points, which were Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert in the same game in Week 7.
It’s an interesting point, especially when one considers the fact the Eagles knew full and well the Carolina Panthers were going to run the ball thanks to an iffy passing game.
Hey, that sounds like the Dallas Cowboys. Eisenberg has something on his hands owners should pay attention to here.
Notable Sit: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (vs. GB)
Owned in 96.3 percent of leagues, Carolina’s Cam Newton continues to find ways to produce despite missing Kelvin Benjamin and anything that resembles a quality passing weapon.
Newton’s running well again, helping him have four performances with 17 or more points.
Despite the feel-good vibes around a quarterback who might just be in the running for MVP, Eisenberg suggests owners forget about Newton for a week, putting him on “Bust Alert” against the Green Bay Packers.
While the game should be a shootout, it’s not hard to see why. Green Bay allows just the 11th-fewest points to the position this year. In fact, just two quarterbacks have climbed over the 20-point mark against the unit and three have scored 11 or fewer.
Michael Beller, Sports Illustrated
Notable Start: Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams (at MIN)
The bye-week blues come at owners hard this week with six teams sitting out, necessitating such plays as St. Louis Rams wideout Tavon Austin.
Sports Illustrated‘s Michael Beller suggests this isn’t such a bad thing, though, when listing him as a conditional start:
Earlier this week on the 120 Sports Fantasy Lunch Hour (download the 120 app if you haven’t already), I called Austin one of the most frustrating fantasy players in the league this year. Why? He has six touchdowns and 429 yards from scrimmage, but the nature of his game is confusing. He makes it almost impossible to predict when his meaningful performances will come. This week, with six teams on bye, is the perfect one to get him active.
It’s hard to argue when one looks at the numbers, where Austin has a pair of games with 21 or more points. Granted, he’s scored in double digits four times, but the Minnesota Vikings have surrendered a score to the position in three consecutive games and there isn’t anyone else on the St. Louis roster likely to break free.
On a bye-riddled week, owners could do much worse than a guy who is finally getting some usage and has four or more catches in four games this year, including two in a row.
Notable Sit: Donte Moncrief, WR, Indianapolis Colts (vs. DEN)
Beller concurs—it’s time to step away from the touchdown-reliant Donte Moncrief.
Really, it’s time to step away from the Indianapolis Colts offense as a whole with Andrew Luck struggling and changes going down among the coaches.
But Moncrief is an interesting point. He’s owned in more than 80 percent of leagues and owners might look his way with so many byes, but it’s nothing short of a bad idea against the Denver Broncos.
Denver allows the fewest points to wideouts on average this year, having coughed up just a single touchdown. Moncrief might change that, but is it a gamble owners really want to take given the situation?
Notable Start: LeGarrette Blount, RB, New England Patriots (vs. WAS)
Owners might have to turn to LeGarrette Blount of the New England Patriots this weekend given the byes, which might not be such a bad thing according to Rotoworld‘s Nick Mensio.
On paper it looks that way, though, as Blount has scored just seven points over his last two games, including rushing for negative yardage against the New York Jets in Week 7.
Then again, Blount has two games this year with 20 or more points, and as Mensio points to in his writeup, Washington isn’t the same run defense that started the season. After starting the season by holding three of four opposing backfields to single digits, the defense has coughed up three performances of 19 or more points.
In a game where the Patriots sit as heavy favorites, Blount should pile on the points.
Notable Sit: T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Now would be a good time to bring up the aforementioned Jets, especially with owners perhaps considering Jacksonville Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon.
As Mensio details, it’s not a good idea:
They’re one of just three teams to allow one rushing touchdown on the year. Latavius Murray shredded the Jets for 113 scoreless yards on 20 carries last week, but Gang Green comes back home as favorites against Jacksonville. After loafing through the Oakland loss, the Jets will be poised to shut down the Jaguars’ offense.
If Blount couldn’t run for positive yardage against the unit despite the threat of Tom Brady under center, Yeldon won’t do much better. Yeldon has three double-digit outings to his name in his past four games, but the Jets have allowed just two backfields to breach double digits this year.
Bye week or not, Yeldon needs to sit.
All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 7. Detroit, Kansas City, Arizona, Seattle, Baltimore, Houston on bye.
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