Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 8: Debating Difficult Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions

If setting your fantasy football lineup is an essential part of your Sunday mornings, you better set that alarm clock a little earlier for Week 8. 

The Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions kick off Sunday’s slate of games with a showdown in London that starts at 9:30 a.m. ET. That contest features a number of intriguing fantasy options who could factor into your lineup decisions.

It is those tricky decisions that are the ones that often determine your fantasy outcome for the week. With that in mind, here is a look at some of the more difficult start ’em, sit ’em calls for Week 8.

Start ’Em: Quarterback Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

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Michael Fabiano of NFL.com declared Russell Wilson his start of the week for the quarterback position:

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Wilson has been on fire in the stat sheets, rushing for 100-plus yards and scoring 30-plus fantasy points in two of his last three games. He should remain in starting lineups across the board in Week 8, as he goes up against a Panthers defense that has given up the sixth-most fantasy points (19.25 PPG) to opposing quarterbacks.

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The Carolina Panthers, Wilson's opponent, are 22nd against the pass at 250.7 yards per game and 26th against the run at 137.6 yards per game. The multidimensional Wilson will make plays with his feet and arm and give the vulnerable Panthers defense fits all game.

Wilson also proved in Week 7 against the St. Louis Rams that the lack of Percy Harvin will not be a problem, at least not for fantasy purposes. Wilson finished with 313 passing yards, 106 rushing yards and three total touchdowns and was more than comfortable running the same offense Seattle did much of last year without Harvin.

Expect more of the same on Sunday.

Sit ’Em: Quarterback Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

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This has just gotten unfair for Matt Ryan.

The Atlanta Falcons lost their fourth starting offensive linemen to injury in Week 7 when Peter Konz went down, which means every time Ryan drops back to throw he is swarmed with defenders. 

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com certainly suggested as much:

The Detroit Lions are next up for Ryan, and their defense is sixth in the NFL against the pass at 216.9 yards per game and third in the NFL against the run at 73.4 yards per game. That means it will be difficult to take the pressure off Ryan with a solid running game against this stout defense, and the linemen will simply pin their ears back and attack him throughout the game. 

Ryan and company are also 0-4 away from home and just look like a different offense if they are not in the Georgia Dome. Between the Detroit defense and the reeling Atlanta offensive line, Ryan is going to have trouble finding his receivers all game.

Start ’Em: Running Back Joique Bell, Detroit Lions

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No defense has given up more touchdowns to opposing running backs this year than the Atlanta Falcons (12), which is encouraging for Joique Bell owners.

After all, fantasy football is all about touchdowns, especially in the case of running backs, and the Falcons' 27th-ranked run defense will allow at least one to Bell on Sunday. Bell has a touchdown in each of his last two games against the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings.

Reggie Bush, who competes with Bell for carries, mentioned the increased focus on the running game for Detroit, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com:

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It's very important for us. Every week, our focus is just to improve, especially in the running game, because we know that in order for us to be successful his season, our run game has to improve.

That's something we're going to focus on this week, and we're going to do our best to improve our run game this week.

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Detroit will also have the lead in the second half against the struggling Falcons and will try to run the clock accordingly. That means more carries for Bell, especially since Bush is more involved with the passing game. 

More carries against Atlanta means plenty of fantasy points.

Sit ’Em: Running Back Alfred Morris, Washington

Alfred Morris is trending in the wrong direction after finishing with 54 rushing yards against the Tennessee Titans, 41 rushing yards against the Arizona Cardinals and 29 rushing yards against the Seattle Seahawks.

Now he has to face a Dallas Cowboys defense that has only given up touchdowns to two running backs this year and held Marshawn Lynch and Andre Williams to less than 65 rushing yards in its past two games.

Washington is going to fall behind early against the resurgent Cowboys and will turn away from the run. 

Morris rarely gets involved in the passing game (five catches for 39 yards this year), so he just won’t get enough touches to be a productive fantasy option.

Start ’Em: Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills

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Sammy Watkins appeared to turn a corner in the Buffalo Bills’ Week 7 victory with 122 yards and two touchdowns. He also hauled in the dramatic game-winner.

Now he gets to face a New York Jets team that has allowed eight touchdowns to opposing receivers this season.

The quarterback switch from EJ Manuel to Kyle Orton was the best thing that could have happened to Watkins’ fantasy value, because the Bills are simply using him more. In fact, the only game that Watkins struggled to put up numbers with Orton under center was when he was matched up against Darrelle Revis of the New England Patriots. 

Revis will not be guarding him for the Jets.

Sit ’Em: Wide Receiver Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Torrey Smith has finally been the receiver that fantasy owners thought they were drafting at the beginning of the season after posting 81 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons and two touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, Smith is averaging a measly 35.5 yards per game against the Cincinnati Bengals in his last six outings. What’s more, the Bengals have only allowed three touchdowns to opposing wide receivers this season, even though the defensive unit as a whole is struggling.

If Smith put up big numbers all season, it would be easier to trust him in what could be an unfavorable matchup, but it is hard to forget those early struggles. 

Sometimes you just have to trust the history, and it is not in Smith’s favor against the Bengals.

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