Week 9: Start Em, Sit Em - Ben Roethlisberger, Amari Cooper, and others

Quarterbacks

Start Em

Ben Roethlisberger, PIT vs. OAK - Big Ben returned last week and was clearly rusty as he struggled with his accuracy. However, this is a great opportunity for a bounce back game. The Raiders allow 312.6 passing yards per game and have surrender 13 passing touchdowns. They yield the sixth most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks (18.1). The Steelers lost Le'Veon Bell for the season and will likely have to rely on Big Ben's arm the rest of the way. In the first two games of the season while Bell served his suspension, Big Ben averaged 360 passing yards per game and threw four touchdowns. He has plenty of weapons to strive and should have a solid week against a subpar secondary.

Other Starts

Derek Carr, OAK at PIT

Eli Manning, NYG at TB

Philip Rivers, SD vs. CHI

Andy Dalton, CIN vs. CLE

Sleeper Alert: Jay Cutler, CHI at SD

Sit Em

Blake Bortles, JAC at NYJ - Coming off of his bye week, Bortles has a tough task ahead of him as he faces a tough Jets secondary. Prior to last week the only quarterback to have thrown for more than 250 yards against the Jets was Tom Brady. Credit to Derek Carr who carved up the Jets last week for 333 yards and four touchdowns. This week the Jets are back in New York, where they've been stellar. In three home games, the Jets have not allowed more than nine fantasy points in a single game to an opposing quarterback. Bortles has been better than expected this season, but this matchup is not one that I'd suggest you play him in.

Other Sits

Ryan Tannehill, MIA at BUF

Sam Bradford, PHI at DAL

Teddy Bridgewater, MIN vs. STL

Bust Alert: Andrew Luck, IND vs. DEN

Running Backs

Start Em

Jeremy Hill, CIN vs. CLE - There's only one other defense in the NFL that allows more fantasy points per game than the Browns. Opposing running backs are averaging 130.1 rushing yards per game and 20.9 fantasy points per game. They've surrendered seven total touchdowns and allow 4.78 yards per carry. While Hill has not lived up to expectations this season, it's tough to ignore a juicy matchup like this one as they don't come often. He's averaging 15.5 carries in the last two weeks and could see more this week based on potential game flow. The Bengals may take advantage of their dual threat at the running back position and run the ball often. The Bengals backs should eat this week!

Other Starts

Ronnie Hillman, DEN at IND

Doug Martin, TB vs. NYG

Chris Ivory, NYJ vs. JAC

DeAngelo Williams, PIT vs. OAK

Sleeper alert: Jeremy Langford, CHI at SD

Sit Em

T.J. Yeldon, JAC at NYJ - With bye weeks and injuries it may be difficult to bench a back that could carry the ball 20+ times. However, the risk is not worth the reward. The Jets are allowing just 59.7 rushing yards per game and 3.32 yards per carry. They've surrendered the fewest rushing yards and have only allowed one rushing touchdowns. They're also allowing the second fewest fantasy points per game (10.9). Needless to say they are as stingy as they come. Yeldon is averaging 67.7 yards per game, but has rushed for fewer than 60 yards in three of six games. While he's been hot as of late, scoring in a touchdown in consecutive games, it'll be tough to continue that streak against the Jets this week.

Other Sits

Darren McFadden, DAL vs. PHI

Melvin Gordon, SD vs. CHI

Alfred Morris, WAS at NE

Frank Gore, IND vs. DEN

Bust Alert: Latavius Murray, OAK at PIT

Wide Receivers

Start Em

Amari Cooper, OAK at PIT- Cooper averages 8.4 targets per game and remains the Raiders best offensive weapon. This is a favorable matchup on the road for a couple of reasons. First, the Raiders could be chasing points which means more passes for Carr and targets for Cooper. Second, while the Steelers secondary is playing better than I anticipated this season, they're still allowing 170 receiving yards per game and have surrendered a touchdown to receivers in three of their last four games. Cooper has flourished in good matchups all season and that shouldn't change this week.

Other Starts

Brandin Cooks, NO vs. TEN

Julian Edelman, NE vs. WAS

Eric Decker, NYJ vs. JAC

Martavis Bryant, PIT vs. OAK

Sleeper Alert: Stevie Johnson, SD vs. CHI

Sit Em

T.Y. Hilton, IND vs. DEN - Hilton is a boom or bust receiver that could land on the bust side of the equation this week. The Broncos have been close to perfect on defense this season. They're allowing just 10.7 fantasy points per game and 111.43 receiving yards per game to opposing receivers. They have also surrendered just one receiving touchdown. They've kept Jeremy Maclin, Calvin Johnson, Amari Cooper, and Randall Cobb out of the end zone. This is a really tough matchup for an inconsistent receiver, so if you can afford to keep him on the bench this week, I'd consider it.

Other Sits

Travis Benjamin, CLE at CIN

Jordan Mathews, PHI at DAL

Rishard Matthews, MIA at BUF

James Jones, GB at CAR

Bust Alert: Allen Robinson, JAC at NYJ

Tight Ends

Start Em

Heath Miller, PIT vs. OAK

Antonio Gates, SD vs. CHI

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, TB vs. NYG

Sit Em

Julius Thomas, JAC at NYJ

Kyle Rudolph, MIN vs. STL

Coby Fleener, IND vs. DEN

Defense

Start Em

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns

Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers

Sit Em

Washington Redskins at New England Patriots

Oakland Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers