Fantasy Football 2012: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Week 8

Jeremy AlpertJun 7, 2018

Every week, there are certain fantasy studs who you simply have to start no matter what. Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson fall into that category, to name a few.

There are also a good number of players you should probably sit each week as well. But then, there are those players whom you have no idea whether to start or sit.

Here are a few not-so-obvious guys at each major fantasy position who you might not know what to do with, but for whom the stats and other information dictates one way or the other.

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Start 'Em: Quarterbacks

Ben Roethlisberger vs. Washington

Rashard Mendenhall is out, and whether Isaac Redman comes back to play or not doesn’t really matter as he’ll be at less than 100 percent if he does.

Jonathan Dwyer looked good last week, but do the Steelers really trust him to carry the load?

Either way, the Redskins' rush D is far better than what they trot out there against the pass, so I expect Roethlisberger to continue with his weekly aerial assault and come close to 40 passing attempts yet again.

In seven games this season, the Redskins have allowed six 300-yard passers; and do you know what the seventh guy did? It was Josh Freeman, and he threw for 299 yards.

Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Heath Miller and even Emmanuel Sanders should all have their way out there, which can only mean big numbers for Big Ben this Sunday.

Write-ups for other Start 'Em QBs

Others with QB1 Potential

Andrew Luck (at Tenn)
Philip Rivers (at Cle)
Michael Vick (vs. Atl)
Carson Palmer (at KC)
Matt Hasselbeck (vs. Ind)

Sleepers

Brandon Weeden (vs. SD)
Sam Bradford (vs. NE)
Alex Smith (at Ari, Monday night)

Start 'Em: Running Backs

Chris Johnson vs. Indy

Chris Johnson’s monster 195-yard output against the worst rushing defense in the league last week has him leading the NFL in rushing from Weeks 4 through 7.

However, it cannot be overlooked that he still ranks 24th in the league in fantasy points per game. That’s how bad he was in four of his seven games this year, and though he’s been awesome three of the last four weeks, I still have my reservations.

This week, however, I can’t help but put him in the top 10, as he’s facing an Indianapolis Colts defense that allows 4.95 yards per carry and the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.

I know it’s scary to press “submit” when you see CJ2K in your lineup, but this is one of those weeks you kind of have to get him in there.

Write-ups for other Start 'Em RBs

Others with RB1 Potential

Matt Forte (vs. Car)
Willis McGahee (vs. NO, Sunday night)
Ryan Mathews (at Cle)
Alfred Morris (at Pit)
Darren McFadden (at KC)
Darren Sproles (at Den, Sunday night)
Stevan Ridley (at Stl, Wembley Stadium, London, England)

Sleepers

Jonathan Dwyer (vs. Was)
Rashad Jennings (at GB)
Felix Jones (vs. NYG)
Alex Green (vs. Jax)
Pierre Thomas (at Den, Sunday night)

Start 'Em: Wide Receivers

Randall Cobb vs. Jacksonville

Get ready for the onslaught, folks, because it’s coming whether you like it or not.

I was singing his praises all offseason and had him ranked up in the top 25 wide receivers right as the season started—and now it seems my preseason intuition will be coming to fruition.

Randall Cobb has been putting on a clinic out there the last few weeks, and he just might be the most versatile player in the league other than Percy Harvin.

With Greg Jennings unlikely to be back for at least a month and now Jordy Nelson a bit gimpy with a bum hamstring, Cobb will see even more action than he has been, which is quite a bit considering he’s in the top five in fantasy points over the last three weeks.

The Jaguars' defense, though not terrible, won’t be able to contain this dynamo in Green Bay on Sunday.

Write-ups for other Start 'Em WRs

Others with WR1 Potential

Demaryius Thomas (vs. NO, Sunday night)
Mike Wallace (vs. Was)
Marques Colston (at Den, Sunday night)
Hakeem Nicks (at Dal)
Antonio Brown (vs. Was)
Jeremy Maclin (vs. Atl)
Dez Bryant (vs. NYG)
Lance Moore (at Den, Sunday night)
Kenny Britt (vs. Ind)

Sleepers

Jeremy Kerley (vs. Mia)
Nate Washington (vs. Ind)
Brandon Gibson / Chris Givens (vs. NE, Wembley Stadium, London, England)
Josh Gordon (vs. SD)
Sidney Rice (at Det)
Titus Young (vs. Sea)
Brandon Stokley (vs. NO, Sunday night)
Mario Manningham (at Ari, Monday night)
Robert Meachem (at Cle)

Start 'Em: Tight Ends

Antonio Gates at Cleveland

Gates has been targeted enough this season to the point that he should be making fore of a fantasy dent than he has.

With the talent he possesses, seven passes thrown his way each game should equate to top-five fantasy numbers, which it hasn't at this point, with Gates coming into this game with the ninth-most fantasy points per game.

However, after a nice bye week to rejuvenate his bones, I believe we’ll see a different player from here on out.

His last game against Denver two weeks ago was clearly his best of the year, catching six passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns, but more importantly, he looked real good doing it.

Cleveland is normally exceptional at guarding tight ends, but if both Brent Celek and Jermaine Gresham can do well against them (as they did earlier in the season), then I like Antonio to go a bit off in this one.

Write-ups for other Start 'Em TEs

Others with TE1 Potential

Heath Miller (vs. Was)
Brent Celek (vs. Atl)
Coby Fleener (at Ten)
Greg Olsen (at Chi)
Jason Witten (vs. NYG)
Martellus Bennett (at Dal)
Dustin Keller (vs. Mia)

Sleepers

Joel Dreessen (vs. NO, Sunday night)
Dwayne Allen (at Tenn)
Anthony Fasano (at NYJ)
Lance Kendricks (vs. NE, Wembley Stadium, London, England)

Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks

Jay Cutler (vs. Car)

Matthew Stafford (vs. Sea)

Cam Newton (at Chi)

Injuries

Jake Locker (vs. Ind): OUT (shoulder), could return in Week 9
Kevin Kolb (vs. SF, Monday night): OUT (sternum, ribs, shoulder), out at least 6-8 weeks

Bye-Week QBs

Baltimore: Joe Flacco
Buffalo: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Cincinnati: Andy Dalton
Houston: Matt Schaub

Sit 'Em: Running Backs

Mikel Leshoure (vs. Sea)

Steven Jackson (vs. NE, Wembley Stadium, London, England)

Jonathan Stewart (at Chi)

Shonn Greene (vs. Mia)

LaRod Stephens-Howling (vs. SF, Monday night)

Injuries

Maurice Jones-Drew (at GB): OUT (foot), won’t need surgery, but should be sidelined for multiple games
DeMarco Murray (vs. NYG): OUT (foot), questionable to return in Week 9
Rashard Mendenhall (vs. Was): OUT (achilles), could return in Week 9
Isaac Redman (vs. Was): QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
Brandon Bolden (at Stl, Wembley Stadium, London, England): OUT (knee)
Donald Brown (at Tenn): QUESTIONABLE (knee), limited in practice all week and will be a game-time decision
Bilal Powell (vs. Mia): DOUBTFUL (shoulder), questionable to return in Week 9
Joe McKnight (vs. Mia): QUESTIONABLE (ankle), hasn’t practiced all week but could still play Sunday

Bye-Week RBs

Baltimore: Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce
Buffalo: Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller
Cincinnati: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cedric Peerman, Brian Leonard
Houston: Arian Foster, Ben Tate, Justin Forsett

Sit 'Em: Wide Receivers

Brandon Lloyd (at Stl, Wembley Stadium, London, England)

Denarius Moore (at KC)

Dwayne Bowe (vs. Oak)

Michael Crabtree (at Ari - Monday night)

Malcom Floyd (at Cle)

Brian Hartline (at NYJ)

Injuries

Greg Jennings (vs. Jax): OUT (abdominal surgery), could be out 3-6 weeks
Jordy Nelson (vs. Jax): QUESTIONABLE (hamstring), will test it out either Saturday or Sunday
Pierre Garcon (at Pit): OUT (foot), week-to-week
Danny Amendola (vs. NE, Wembley Stadium, London, England): QUESTIONABLE (clavicle), limited in practice this week
Nate Burleson (vs. Sea): OUT (broken leg), placed on IR and will miss the remainder of the season
Laurent Robinson (at GB): QUESTIONABLE (concussion), will be a game-time decision
Alshon Jeffery (vs. Car): OUT (hand)
Mohamed Massaquoi (vs. SD): QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)
Doug Baldwin (at Det): OUT (ankle), could miss some time with a high ankle sprain
Harry Douglas (at Phi): OUT (ankle, knee)
Joseph Morgan (at Den, Sunday night): OUT (chest)

Bye-Week WRs

Baltimore: Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin, Jacoby Jones
Buffalo: Stevie Johnson, Donald Jones, T.J. Graham
Cincinnati: A.J. Green, Andrew Hawkins, Armon Binns, Mohamed Sanu, Brandon Tate
Houston: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Keshawn Martin, Lestar Jean

Sit 'Em: Tight Ends

Aaron Hernandez (at Stl, Wembley Stadium, London, England)

Jared Cook (vs. Ind)

Brandon Myers (at KC)

Injuries

Jimmy Graham (at Den, Sunday night): QUESTIONABLE (ankle), limited in practice all week and will be a game-time decision
Aaron Hernandez (at Stl, Wembley Stadium, London, England): OUT (ankle), late scratch traveling overseas, but should return in Week 10 after the bye
Fred Davis (at Pit): OUT (achilles), was placed on IR and is done for the season