Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 3: Advice on Difficult Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions

There may not be a more frustrating feeling when it comes to fantasy football than watching a player on your bench dominate while your starters struggle.

Those what-could-have-been tales are often the difference between a playoff spot and the middle of the road in your league, and sometimes it’s just a matter of luck. The best you can do is enter the week strapped with some type of knowledge to increase your odds at making the right decision.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few difficult calls for Week 3 at some of the most important positions in the fantasy football realm.

QB Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers: Start

Chicago Bears fans should probably buy a Colin Kaepernick jersey at this point because his collapse, along with impressive play from an injured Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler, was a major factor in Chicago’s Week 2 comeback.

The question now is whether Kaepernick will bounce back against the Arizona Cardinals after throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble in Week 2.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

On paper, the Cardinals appear to be a difficult opponent for a quarterback. In fact, they are 2-0 and only allowed 14 points to the New York Giants and 17 points to a San Diego Chargers team that just beat the Seattle Seahawks.

However, Kaepernick has shined against Arizona in three career outings, throwing for an average of 279 yards and two touchdowns a game. There is also the fact that the 49ers may be playing with a sense of desperation as they try to avoid a 1-2 start in a particularly difficult division.

Kaepernick already seemed to turn the leaf, via Tim Kawakami of San Jose Mercury News.

“You have to come back,” Kaepernick said. “That’s your only choice.”

Fantasy owners are hoping starting Kaepernick against a defense that he has beaten in the past is the right choice.

WR Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears: Start 

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Normally, starting Alshon Jeffery would be a no-brainer type of decision, but he left the Bears’ first game against Buffalo with an injury and was far from 100 percent in the contest in San Francisco.

He is yet to score a touchdown, either.

Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune passed along some encouraging news, though, regarding Jeffery’s health:

If we are to take head coach Marc Trestman’s word for it, Jeffery should be ready to go in Week 3. That means the superstar receiver gets a chance to face the New York Jets defense that just allowed Jordy Nelson to tally 209 receiving yards and a touchdown and Randall Cobb to score two touchdowns as well.

There is also the Chicago offense as a whole that we need to consider. If New York focuses in on stopping Jeffery, that leaves Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett to make plays. 

The thought here is that a healthier Jeffery finally gets into the end zone against an overmatched New York secondary that simply won't be able to double-cover the wide receiver with so many other Chicago weapons.

RB Montee Ball, Denver Broncos: Sit

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Montee Ball’s struggles are certainly concerning for fantasy owners who likely used an early pick on him. After all, the hope was and still is that he replicates the success of Knowshon Moreno from a season ago in the dynamic Denver offense alongside Peyton Manning.

However, he only has 127 rushing yards and a single touchdown in the first two games and is yet to break out.

Michael Fabiano of NFL.com pointed out why fantasy owners should sit Ball this week and hope that first excellent game comes in Denver’s next contest:

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It's going to be tough to sit Ball, who was a first- or second-round pick in most drafts, but this week's matchup in Seattle is anything but favorable. Over their last 13 home games, the Seahawks have allowed just one 100-yard runner and a mere three rushing touchdowns. That includes games vs. Adrian Peterson, Eddie Lacy and Chris Johnson.

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If you are looking to bounce back from a small slump or slow start to the season, doing it in Seattle is not exactly a formula for success. The Seahawks will also be trying to bounce back from a loss to San Diego with a raucous crowd behind them. 

Ball will become a consistent running back eventually as he settles into a featured role. It’s just not going to come against Seattle.

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