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Armando Marsal
Fantasy Writer
Teams on bye: 49ers and Giants
Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Russell Wilson, SEA at CAR - After a huge game on the road against the Rams, Wilson now heads to Carolina for another favorable matchup. The Panthers are allowing 18.4 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. They have given up the second most passing touchdowns this season (15) and are surrendering 251 passing yards per game. The Panthers have allowed two or more passing touchdowns in the last five games. In fact, they've allowed two or more passing touchdowns in all but one game. Wilson has seven total touchdowns in the last three games, including one rushing touchdown in each of those games, and has combined for a total of 880 yards. He has been getting it done through the air and on the ground. There's no reason to believe he doesn't continue that this week.
Other Starts
Ryan Tannenhill, MIA at JAC
Carson Palmer, ARI vs. PHI
Matthew Stafford, DET at ATL
Tony Romo, DAL vs. WAS
Sleeper Alert: Teddy Bridgewater, MIN at TB
Sit of the Week
Andy Dalton, CIN vs. BAL - In Week 1 against the Ravens Dalton threw for 301 yards and one touchdown. That was when A.J. Green was healthy. Now, it's possible that Green won't even play with a toe injury. Dalton has been hit or miss for nearly the entire season, and there are far more misses than hits. This week he faced a stingy Ravens defense. They allow the fifth fewest passing yards per game (258 ypg) and are allowing just 14.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. The Ravens have allowed just one quarterback to throw for more than one touchdown in a game this season. Keep in mind they held Andrew Luck at Indy to just one passing touchdown. It would be best to steer clear of Dalton this week.
Other Sits
Matt Ryan, ATL vs DET
Nick Foles, PHI at ARI
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT vs. IND
Austin Davis, STL at KC
Bust Alert: Cam Newton, CAR vs. SEA
Running Backs
Start of the Week
Joique Bell, DET at ATL - Bell has scored in back-to-back weeks now, and this week he has a favorable matchup against the worse run defense in the NFL, the Falcons. Bell started in place of Bush in Week 6, and saw most of the carries in Week 7 while Bush dealt with an ankle injury. In the last two games, Bell has 36 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons defense is allowing 26 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. They have allowed backs to score 12 touchdown and also 137.7 rushing yards per game. In all but one game this season the Falcons have allowed 99 or more rushing yards. With an ailing Bush, we're likely going to see Bell receive the bulk of the carries once again. Make sure he's activated in your lineups this week.
Other Starts
Jerick McKinnon, MIN at TB
Ben Tate, CLE vs. OAK
Eddie Lacy, GB at NO
Andre Ellington, ARI vs. PHI
Sleeper alert: Doug Martin, TB vs. MIN
Sit of the Week
Zac Stacy, STL at KC- The Rams have hesitated to say who they will use the most at running back this week, but after last week, it appears that Tre Mason will take the driver seat in this backfield. Stacy was in just one play last week and didn't touch the ball the entire game. In the month of October, Stacy has only carried the ball 19 times for 59 yards and no scores. Even if he was named the starter it'd be hard to trust him. Not to mention, this week's matchup is not a pleasant one. The Rams head to Kansas City to take on one of only two NFL teams who have yet to surrender a rushing touchdown. In fact, no running back has scored a touchdown against the Chiefs. In a crucial week for fantasy owners, there's no need to have an unproductive back vs. a tough defense in your lineups.
Other Sits
Denard Robinson, JAC vs. MIA
Chris Johnson, NYJ vs. BUF
Steven Jackson, ATL vs. DET
Jonathan Stewart, CAR vs. SEA
Bust Alert: Alfred Morris, WAS at DAL
Wide Receivers
Start of the week
Michael Floyd, ARI vs. PHI - In the three games where Carson Palmer was the starter this season, Floyd has 12 catches, 213 yards, and two touchdowns. Floyd has scored a touchdown in every game since Palmer's return from injury. This week he faces an Eagles defense that is allowing 24.5 fantasy points per game to opposing receivers. They have given up eight touchdowns to receivers this season and are surrendering 278.2 receiving yards per game. In three home games this season, Floyd has 14 catches for 280 yards and a touchdown. There's not much to dislike about him this week, if anything at all. Plug him into your lineups.
Other Starts
Mike Wallace, MIA at JAC
Golden Tate, DET at ATL
Sammy Watkins, BUF at NYJ
Terrance Williams, DAL vs. WAS
Sleeper Alert: Justin Hunter, TEN vs. HOU
Sit of the week
Mohamed Sanu, CIN vs. BAL - Sanu came back to reality in Week 7 against a solid Colts defense. He caught three passes for 54 yards. To be fair, the entire offense struggled in the last game. The issue is that this week, the matchup isn't all that much better. The Bengals will host their division rivals, the Ravens. Sanu has been hit or miss to a certain extent. In three games this season, he's scored below 10 fantasy points in PPR formats, but in the other three games he has scored more than 17 fantasy points per game. The Ravens have only allowed more than one touchdown to opposing receivers in one game this season. They've only allowed six touchdowns to receivers this season. In the first game of the season, Sanu caught four passes for 36 yards against this Ravens defense. He is too risky of a play against this defense for a 50/50 chance at a decent game.
Other Sits
Brian Quick, STL at KC
Andre Holmes, OAK at CLE
Dwayne Bowe, KC vs. STL
Allen Robinson, JAC vs. MIA
Bust Alert: Percy Harvin, NYJ vs. BUF
Tight Ends
Start Em
Jordan Reed, WAS at DAL
Travis Kelce, KC vs. STL
Dwayne Allen, IND vs. PIT
Sit Em
Clay Harbor, JAC vs. MIA
Scott Chandler, BUF at NYJ
Heath Miller, PIT at IND
Defense
Start Em
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
Sit Em
San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos