Week 5 Start'em/Sit'em: 2012 NFL Fantasy Football Lineup Strategy

Both Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton were on my Start’em list last week, and as they continue to play well, we should trust them in favorable matchups.

Another player who continues to play well when given the chance is Packers veteran receiver James Jones. Expect Jones to put up another start-worthy day against the Colts as Greg Jennings continues to nurse a groin injury.

Start’em

Andy Dalton vs. Dolphins 

The Dolphins defense will continue to play well against the run, and Cameron Wake’s breakout game against the Cardinals is encouraging for the pass rush. That said, the losses of Vontae Davis and Yeremiah Bell in the offseason have done nothing but devalue the pass defense.

Miami will get to Dalton occasionally, but this should be another start-worthy performance from the Bengals quarterback. Big plays down the field are to be expected, but that doesn’t mean it will come from A.J. Green as Dalton is doing a terrific job of spreading the football around.

Joe Flacco @ Chiefs 

While Ray Rice put together respectable yardage numbers overall against Cleveland last week, the Ravens offense is becoming more about Joe Flacco and the passing game. Flacco won’t be an every-week starter, but he’s put together three QB1 performances in his first four games of the season.

Kansas City has struggled against the pass all year and will continue to when the Ravens come to town.

Domenik Hixon vs. Browns 

Hakeem Nicks continues to have health problems, and his recent knee injury should cause him to miss more action this week. Hixon started over Ramses Barden and played well. Barden has a concussion, so Hixon owners should feel good about having him in the lineup this week.

James Jones @ Colts 

It seems Greg Jennings has aged quickly this season or perhaps he’s just having problems staying healthy this year. The bottom line is Jones has proven to be a trusted option as a WR3 play when Jennings is down and will continue to work opposite Jordy Nelson.

Anquan Boldin @ Chiefs 

As is the case in Atlanta, veteran possession receiver Anquan Boldin is benefiting from having an explosive second-year receiver and threat at tight end in the offense. Expect Boldin to continue his resurgence in the Ravens offense. He’s a respectable bye week fill-in WR3 play this week.

Chris Johnson vs. Vikings 

The Titans fell behind early, and Houston was willing to give up yardage on the ground as opposed to through the air. This is part of the reason for Johnson’s success last week, but then again, it’s not like he did much in previous blowouts vs. the Patriots and Chargers, so we should consider this an improvement.

As we watched last week, the Vikings did a great job of shutting down Mikel Leshoure, who was hot off a 100-yard rushing effort against the Titans the week before. Johnson has a long way to go before he’s a trusted name in fantasy circles again, but he’s worth a flex play this week.

Jacob Tamme @ Patriots

New England continues to have problems against the pass, and tight ends have benefited. Look for Tamme to put up one of his better performances of the season in a high-scoring game.

Nick Novak @ Saints 

It appears Nate Kaeding will be lost for a little while, and Nick Novak will fill in just like he did a year ago. Novak picked up right where he left off in 2011, as he converted all three of his field-goal opportunities.

Giants Defense vs. Browns 

The Browns will compete, but at the end of the day Brandon Weeden's receivers will struggle to find the end zone. Expect Trent Richardson to have a respectable performance, but New York should have some fun in the Browns' backfield when Weeden drops back.

Vikings Defense vs. Titans 

This is an interesting matchup as the Vikings are a hot team, playing against a Titans offense that has struggled on the road. If you’re looking for a one-week pickup and drop to get you through a week, the Vikings are worth putting in your lineup.

Sit’em

Cam Newton vs. Seahawks 

Newton bounced back against the Falcons, and we shouldn’t expect a bust season after his poor performance against the Giants. That said, you might want to consider keeping Newton on your bench this week as the Seahawks come to town.

Ben Roethlisberger vs. Eagles 

The Steelers will have a pass-heavy offense this season, but the Eagles' secondary is good enough to slow down Roethlisberger for a sub-average stat line.

Michael Vick @ Steelers 

The Eagles offense started out slow last week, but Vick and his offensive line showed that we can count on him down the road. This week the Eagles play in Pittsburgh though, and until I see Jeremy Maclin step his game up, I’m keeping Vick on the bench.

Ryan Fitzpatrick @ 49ers 

Off to another fast start, Ryan Fitzpatrick is either headed for a big season or he will fade away as we reach November. Either way, we shouldn’t trust him this week playing in San Francisco.

Bilal Powell vs. Texans 

I like Powell’s odds of helping your fantasy squad this season, but unfortunately the Jets have had a tough schedule of late to run against. Expect Powell to continue to pull more work away from Shonn Greene as the season moves along, but for now, keep him on the bench.

Donald Brown vs. Packers 

Brown will need to get his work in early against the Packers as we should expect a blowout at the Colts' expense. Perhaps Brown can save his day with production in the passing game, but I don’t think we should look to him this week.

Fred Jackson / C.J. Spiller @ 49ers 

If Spiller puts in a full week of practice, he would be worth trusting in PPR leagues because of his potential in the passing game. That said, both running backs are likely to struggle on the ground.

Jeremy Maclin @ Steelers 

Not impressed with what Maclin is doing on the field right now. Have to believe he is still not healthy as he works his way back from leg problems. Keep him on the bench until he shows us something.

Kenny Britt vs. Vikings 

There will come a time this season when you will be happy to have Britt on your team. That said, we shouldn’t look to him until he proves to be back to full strength.

Fred Davis vs. Falcons 

Perhaps Davis won’t fade away in the Redskins offense after all. The tight end position has usually been a big part of Mike Shanahan’s offenses in the past, but I want to see more from Davis before I recommend putting him in your lineup again.

Week 5 Standard Rankings – QB | RB | WR | TE | Waivers |