NFL Fantasy Football: Start 'Em/Sit 'Em - Week Five

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I don't know what happened.  0-3?  Me?  That never happens.  For the first time in a long time, all three of my fantasy teams lost last week.  That's right, I'm garbage.  Now I'm sitting here with two 1-3 teams and one 3-1 team.  For the math deficient, that's 5-7 overall.  That's bad.  Best I can figure... here's what happened.

In my 12-team standard league I just got walloped.  No excuses.  Well, expect for Marshawn Lynch screwing me.  I had guys like Cam Newton, Todd Gurley, and Danny Woodhead come through for me, but there was no support behind them on my entire team.  None.  No one to even mention.  It didn't help that I was going against Philip Rivers, Devonta Freeman, and one of the highest scoring Ks and DSTs this week.  My opponents kicker (Justin Tucker) outscored my WR1, TE, two flex spots, and my K combined.  It was a disaster.  I think I'm going to drop everyone on the roster.

The Hogs Haven league (14 teams, PPR) is where I had been making my hay starting the season 3-0.  I'll be honest, I was completely owning this league.  I was far-and-away the highest scoring team (seriously, no one was within like 100 points) and was riding high on the coattails of Julio Jones, Julian Edelman, and A.J. Green.  Well apparently I'm incapable of winning when Edelman has a bye and Jones doesn't go absolutely bonkers.  C.J. Spiller did work for me thanks to that last-minute 80+ yard TD receptions.  And Ladarius Green and Isaiah Crowell had good games, too.  But again I faced that damned Devonta Freeman.  He killed it last week.  Hopefully the Redskins took notice.

My third league was the closest game this past week (10-team standard).  My team was basically Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson and I lost to Andy Dalton, Gio Bernard, Mark Ingram, and the Ravens defense.  I had it until Monday night when Thomas Rawls ended the game and I lost by 1.08 points.  Brutal.

• Shout-out to whoever it was discussing Drew Brees vs Carson Palmer with me last week.
• Matt Stafford is done as a fantasy option, y'all.
• Eli Manning and Sam Bradford both had surprisingly good weeks.
• Mark Ingram looked good as expected.  Dallas is pretty kind to RBs this year.  Ingram surprised in the receiving game.  Becoming a more complete back?
• My bad on the Latavius Murray and especially the Arian Foster recommendations last week.  I was majorly wrong on Foster.
• Lamar Miller is not a fantasy option, y'all.
• I think it's now safe to believe in Larry Fitzgerald again (just in case you were still doubting him last week).
• Ditto for James Jones.
• Unfortunately, I picked the wrong TB WR last week.  Vincent Jackson took Mike Evans stats!
• I was very wrong about Mike Wallace.  Dude is super unpredictable. 
  
• Easy to see Torrey Smith continuing to struggle as long as that offense/QB go unchanged.
• Charles Clay is sweet!  Tyrod loves the guy.
• Eric Ebron can't be good if Matt Stafford can't be good.  I'll remember that this week.
• Who else knew Zach Ertz was going to be bad?  Called it.
• Is Gary Barnidge for real?  I didn't think so last week.  Now I'm seriously wondering.  I got beat out on a waiver claim for him in one of my leagues this week.  People are taking notice.  He's McCown's safety blanket.
• Heath Miller looks a little different with no Big Ben.  Called that one.

Quarterbacks

Start' Em

Philip Rivers, SD (vs Pittsburgh Steelers) - We all saw what he did last week and now they add Antonio Gates to the mix.  The Steelers have been getting pretty shredded by opposing QBs this year and the game is in SD.  300 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs

Peyton Manning, DEN (@ Oakland Raiders) - Never thought I'd have to bother putting Peyton in this article, but people are losing faith.  Well it's going to be restored this week.  The Raiders are a much improved team, but they've still been a sieve for opposing QBs and Peyton knows his divisional opponents like no one else.  It's not like they don't still have Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas there...  325 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs

Matt Stafford, DET (vs Arizona Cardinals) - I know what I wrote above.  Ignore it this week.  If you don't listen to me here, I wouldn't blame you one bit, but I honestly believe that Calvin Johnson has got to be so pissed about how many TDs he should have in his career that he hasn't gotten for a bunch of bogus reasons, that he's going to come out possessed.  I have no strong argument here... just a feeling.  325 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Sit 'Em

Andy Dalton, CIN (vs Seattle Seahawks) - Does anyone expect Dalton to keep up this pace?  Against the Seahawks?  Me, neither.  200 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Derek Carr, OAK (vs Denver Broncos) - The Broncos defense is real legit.  Carr came back to Earth a little bit last week QBs don't do anything against Denver.  225 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Colin Kaepernick, SF (@ New York Giants) - I have no clue what's happened, but Kaep has been one of the worst QBs in football.  I picked him up in a couple drafts as a backup and have dropped him in both.  He's been atrocious.  If he couldn't run, there's absolutely no way he'd be starting in the league right now.  200 passing yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 40 rushing yards

Running Backs

Start' Em

Arian Foster, HOU (vs Indianapolis Colts) - I know, I know.  I did this last week.  I'm not going to be wrong about him two weeks in a row.  The Colts are beatable.  Foster is that offense.  I don't know what happened last week, but I don't believe it.  90 rushing yards, 1 TD, 40 receiving yards

Justin Forsett, BAL (vs Cleveland Browns) - He owned the Steelers last week and the Ravens won.  They have no other play-makers right now and need to lean on Forsett heavily.  He is that offense right now.  Oh, and the Browns have given up the most rushing yards of any team this year.  100+ rushing yards, 1 TD, 30 receiving yards

Dion Lewis, NE (@ Dallas Cowboys) - The Pats just extended him and the Cowboys running defense is not good.  It's time to believe in a Patriot RB.  Weird, I know.  120 total yards and 1 TD

Sit 'Em

Melvin Gordon, SD (vs Pittsburgh Steelers) - Danny Woodhead is officially the RB to own in SD.  The Steelers are pretty good against opposing RBs, too.  40-50 total yards

Joseph Randle, DAL (vs New England Patriots) - Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they're going to have to put the ball in Weeden's hands and sling it in an attempt to keep up.  HAHAHAHA!  I can't wait.  50 total yards

Chris Johnson, AZ (@ Detroit Lions) - I simply do not believe.  It's been a mirage.  He can't keep this up.  40-50 rushing yards

Wide Receivers

Start' Em

Julian Edelman, NE (@ Dallas Cowboys) - I can tell you from watching him closely this season, Julian Edelman (with Brady throwing to him) is completely unstoppable.  The fact that the Cowboys have to try is going to be must-watch entertainment for Redskins fans.  90-100 yards and 1 TD

Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (@ Oakland Raiders) - See what I wrote about Peyton Manning above.  Sanders is his favorite targets.  90-100 yards and 1 TD

Keenan Allen, SD (vs Pittsburgh Steelers) - See what I wrote about Philip Rivers above.  Allen's been great this year and the Steelers secondary is not good.  There will be scoring.  90 yards and 1 TD

Sit 'Em

Percy Harvin BUF (@ Tennessee Titans) - The Titans do surprisingly (to me) very well against opposing WRs.  And for as good as Tyrod Taylor and the Bills offense have been this year, they haven't really involved Harvin much, at all.  If Watkins comes back this week, that just hurts Harvin's odds even more.  30 yards

Roddy White, ATL (vs Washington Redskins) - Julio Jones might very well destroy the Redskins, but between the amount of targets he's going to get, Washington's running, ToP-style of play, and Hankerson being half-way decent for them, White isn't going to be heard from Sunday.  20-30 yards

Golden Tate, DET (vs Arizona Cardinals) - It's Calvin Johnson or no one for the Lions.  Cardinals defense is pretty good.  50 yards

Tight Ends

Start' Em

Delanie Walker, TEN (vs Buffalo Bills) - This is a great match-up for Walker who's been great for a couple years straight now.  He's a little banged up, but Mariota loves him and relies on him.  He might be the best receiver on that team.  60 yards and possibly a TD

Charle Clay, BUF (@ Tennessee Titans) - Believe after last week.  This is Tyrod's guy.  The Titans can be beat by TEs.  50 yards and 1 TD

Larry Donnell, NYG (vs San Francisco 49ers) - The Giants offense has come alive and SF is not good.  Also, still no Victor Cruz to throw to.  50 yards and 1 TD

Sit 'Em

Gary Barnidge, CLE (@ Baltimore Ravens) - He's been great, but I still can't quite trust him enough to think anyone should start him.  You likely have a better option and the Ravens allow the least amount of fantasy points to TEs in the league.  20 yards

Josh Hill, NO (@ Philadelphia Eagles) - He's been a disappointment and the Saints are typically bad on the road.  Philly's front seven is underrated too and they'll be hot after losing like they did last week.  0-10 yards

Jared Cook, STL (@ Green Bay Packers) - He's been invisible for two straight weeks now.  The Packers defense has allowed one TD to a TE this season!  30 yards

Please leave any fantasy related questions you might have in the comments section and I'll try to answer as many and as quickly as I can.  It's fun to get everyone's perspectives on this week's matchups floating around down there and I'm always interested to see what kind of decisions different fantasy players have to make.  These are just general ideas for standard leagues, but we can all give and receive advice for unique situations as they come up.