Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 8: Final Review Before 'Thursday Night Football'

I remember when Thursday night meant watching some of my favorite sitcoms, or the final practice before Friday's football game in high school. Or, if nothing else, looking forward to getting through Friday and getting to the upcoming weekend.

These days, however, Thursday night means one thing—football. With Thursday Night Football now injecting itself into my weekly routine, Thursday night feels like the beginning of the football week, not the beginning of the end of the actual week. 

And it also means the first game for fantasy owners. This week's game between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers is so rife with relevant players in fantasy, I dedicated this entire start 'em, sit 'em article to the game.

Spoiler alert—if you have a player on either team, there's a good chance you should be starting them. 

Broncos Start 'Em: Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Julius Thomas, Ronnie Hillman

There shouldn't be any surprises here. Peyton Manning is the only player in fantasy football to score at least 20 fantasy points in each of his games this season. Manning totaled 44 fantasy points against San Diego last season, so he's a safe bet to produce again this week. 

Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders also are must-start options each week. Thomas has 26 receptions for 521 yards and five touchdowns in the past three weeks, while Sanders has eight or more fantasy points in five of six games. These two are as safe as they come.

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Julius Thomas is human after all, as his touchdown streak ended last week. Still, seeing as he had seven receptions for 145 yards and a score in two games against San Diego last season, he could very easily start a new streak this week.

And then there's Ronnie Hillman, who might be turning himself from a Montee Ball handcuff into a legitimate part of this offense when the incumbent returns. He's rushed 38 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns in the past two weeks and has thus far appeared to be a better fit in the offense than Ball. 

The Chargers have given up 237 rushing yards and a touchdown to opposing backs in the last two weeks, so Hillman could have a nice evening. 

Broncos Sit 'Em: Wes Welker, Broncos D/ST, Brandon McManus 

In the four games after returning from a reduced suspension, Wes Welker has posted 22 fantasy points. Not exactly inspiring stuff.

But it gets worse. He's been targeted just 22 times in that span, suggesting he's fallen pretty far down the pecking order in this passing game. And if you take away his 39-yard receiving touchdown last week, and Welker would have just 13 fantasy points on the season. 

That's right, 41 percent of Welker's fantasy value this season has come from one play. I just don't think he's trustworthy on a weekly basis anymore and until he proves me wrong I'd keep him on the bench. He's No. 4 in this passing game now.

Obviously, against a talented San Diego offense you can do better than Denver's defense. And you can probably do better at kicker, too. Brandon McManus has attempted just seven field goals this season and made six, in large part because the Broncos regularly score touchdowns. McManus is largely scoring points from extra points, a trend you want to avoid in favor of players getting more opportunities to kick field goals.

Chargers Start 'Em: Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, Branden Oliver, Malcom Floyd, Nick Novak

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Philip Rivers continues to be a very safe option, having scored 18 or more fantasy points in five of seven games and tossing at least two touchdown passes in six contests. The Broncos are giving up 17.2 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks per week, 24th in the NFL, so start Rivers with confidence.

Antonio Gates has been quite good as well, with eight or more fantasy points in five games and the occasional huge performance, as he scored 27 points in Week 2 and 18 in Week 5. The Broncos have either been stingy (three weeks allowing two or fewer points to opposing tight ends) or quite accommodating (three weeks with 12 or more points allowed) to tight ends this year. I'm guessing Gates will find things accommodating.

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Branden Oliver has been nothing but productive since emerging as the team's starter in the wake of injuries to Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, with 54 fantasy points in the last three weeks. Given his ability to produce in both the running and passing game, he might just be the safest fantasy option on this offense outside of Rivers.

Malcom Floyd certainly is not the safest option, but at least one of San Diego's receivers will produce in this game, and I'm putting my money on Floyd. With either 50 receiving yards or a touchdown (or both) in every game this season, Floyd has become a safe option, albeit one with a pretty low ceiling. 

And then there's Nick Novak. This one is pretty simple, folks—more times than not, kickers in good offenses who find themselves in a matchup that has shootout potential should generally be started. Get Novak in those lineups. 

Chargers Sit 'Em: Eddie Royal, Keenan Allen, Chargers D/ST

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In the three weeks Eddie Royal has scored a touchdown, he's offered owners 48 fantasy points. In the four weeks he hasn't scored a touchdown, he's been good for just 14 points. I don't trust mediocre wide receivers who are completely reliant on touchdowns to have any fantasy relevance. It's just not a lottery ticket I'm willing to buy. 

What has happened to Keenan Allen? Last year's breakout star has scored more than five fantasy points just once this season. Until he starts producing with some regularity, stay away.

If I was doing a risk-reward assessment of starting the Chargers defense this week against the league's best offense, I would say the risk was instantaneous death and the reward was a half-eaten bologna sandwich. You don't start the defense facing the Broncos. You just don't do it.

All point totals and points-against statistics via ESPN standard-scoring leagues. Hit me up on Twitter—I'll answer your fantasy questions and make some corny jokes, too. It's more fun than trying to keep a straight face while offering Percy Harvin for Julius Thomas in a trade.