Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 9: Final Review Before 'Thursday Night Football'

People who don't like a doctor's diagnosis get a second opinion all of the time. How often have you read multiple reviews of movies, games, books or music to see past any perceived biases in the review? Yelp has become an instrumental aspect of any night on the town in an unfamiliar city. 

The point is simple—we all like to get as much analysis as we can before making decisions in life. Why should fantasy football be any different?

So allow me into your weekly research as you decide which players to sit and which to start, as I take a closer look at a few players in this week's Thursday Night Football matchup, as well as a few other players in action this weekend.

Start 'Em: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

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I know.

I know he's killing your team this year.

I know he's had 15 fantasy points or more just twice this season. 

I know that he scored a total of 25 fantasy points in two games against the New Orleans Saints last year.

I know he's only rushed for 214 yards and a touchdown, mitigating what has made him so valuable to fantasy owners in years past, his ability to run with the ball.

I know all of this. And yet, somehow, I still think you should start Newton this week. 

There are external forces at play, sure. Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford, Jay Cutler and Matt Ryan are on bye. The pickings are slim at quarterback, so you may have no choice but to start him. 

I also know that Newton is capable of exploding at any moment. Look no further than his 33 fantasy points in Week 6 on the road in Cincinnati, all while keeping in mind that Newton is healthy now. The rushing attempts should keep on coming. 

Finally, I know that the Saints are giving up 18.3 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks per week, 26th in the NFL. I know, at home, this stacks up as a really promising matchup for Newton. 

So yes, I know how hard it will be to start him. Just know that I don't recommend him lightly. At some point in the season, Newton's going to produce consistently. He's never finished lower than fifth at the end of a season in points scored at the quarterback position. I think this is the week he gets back on track.

Sit 'Em: Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

So I'm telling you to start the quarterback who has 18 total fantasy points in the past two weeks and to sit the player who scored 44 points last week?

I understand if you are doubting my credibility right now. 

But hear me out! For as good as Roethlisberger was last week, it was just the second time he's exceeded 16 fantasy points this season. Consistency hasn't exactly been his forte for fantasy purposes. And when last the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens met in Week 2, Big Ben managed just six fantasy points.

Plus, the Ravens are only allowing 15 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks per week, 10th in the NFL. We have a tendency in fantasy football to be reactionary and assume that whatever happened the week prior is the new normal. 

Sorry, folks, but in this case the evidence suggests that Big Ben will produce like a QB2 this week, not like the guy who single-handedly won fantasy matchups a week ago. Hopefully, my credibility has been restored. 

Start 'Em: Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints

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You could make a pretty strong argument that even with a healthy backfield, Mark Ingram would be a solid starter this week. After all, he's scored 16 or more fantasy points in three of the four games he's played this year.

But the Saints do not have a healthy backfield. Mike Triplett of ESPN has the update:

"

New Orleans Saints running back Khiry Robinson is officially listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Carolina Panthers with a forearm injury. He seems like a long shot, as he didn't practice this week after being held out Sunday night. But his status remains uncertain for now. 

Fellow running back Pierre Thomas, meanwhile, has been ruled out with shoulder and rib injuries. 

"

So it looks like Ingram will be getting a full workload once again. Facing a Panthers defense giving up 20.8 fantasy points to opposing running backs per week, 30th in the NFL, Ingram is a no-brainer RB1. Get him in those lineups, folks.

Sit 'Em: Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders

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It's easy to dismiss Darren McFadden as an automatic player to bench, but consider that as a flex option he's scored seven or more fantasy points in four of the last six games.

Sure, his ceiling is the 12 fantasy points he scored in Week 2, but at least he's given owners something this year, right?

Not this week. Not against a Seattle Seahawks team allowing just 89.6 rushing yards per game, sixth in the NFL. There will be weeks when you need McFadden and the matchup will suggest he's worth a start. This is not that week.

Start 'Em: Brandin Cooks, WR, New Orleans Saints

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Just when the fantasy community was giving up on Brandin Cooks, he exploded for 21 fantasy points, just the second time he's reached double-digit points. More importantly, Marques Colston caught just four passes for 49 yards, suggesting that Cooks may be a bigger priority in the game plan than Colston moving forward. 

After all, the Saints found plenty of creative ways to get him the ball, and it worked like a charm.

The Panthers are currently giving up 24.6 fantasy points per week to opposing wideouts, 27th in the NFL, so Cooks seems primed for a big afternoon. You could do far worse in your flex spot than Cooks.

Sit 'Em: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Maybe Larry Fitzgerald is starting to turn things around. After all, he's scored at least 15 fantasy points in two of his last three games. 

But two things worry me about Fitz. The first is that the Cardinals also have Michael Floyd (who didn't have a catch last week, a stat line that will surely be rectified this week), John Brown and Andre Ellington, all players deserving of touches. No longer does the mentality of "Get Fitz the ball at all costs!" make much sense for Arizona. 

The second is that the Dallas Cowboys are giving up just 15.8 fantasy points to opposing wideouts per week, fourth in the NFL. I understand if you need to flex Fitzgerald this week, and I wish you the best. I just don't trust him in this contest. 

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.