Week 12 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Advice on Fantasy Football Stars to Play or Bench

The last thing fantasy football owners want to do going into a Thanksgiving Week 12 slate is decide to sit a star player.

But each week's results show owners shouldn't hesitate to sit a big-name player on the pine if the situation warrants it. Last week, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers mustered five points, New York Jets running back Chris Ivory managed three and Oakland Raiders wideout Michael Crabtree five.

To name just a few, of course.

When it comes to start-sit decisions, owners have to trust their gut at the device of their choosing, not just at the table propping up the feast.

QB 

Matchup	Verdict
Tom Brady (at DEN) vs. Blake Bortles (vs. SD)	Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers (vs. CHI) vs. Matt Ryan (vs. MIN)	Aaron Rodgers
Cam Newton (at DAL) vs. Eli Manning (at WAS)	Cam Newton
Carson Palmer (at SF) vs. Drew Brees (at HOU)	Carson Palmer
Philip Rivers (at JAC) vs. Andy Dalton (vs. STL)	Philip Rivers

Star to Know: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at SEA)

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

What, afraid of a quarterback on the road in Seattle? 

Don't be. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wasn't even supposed to suit up in Week 10 before a bye, but entered the game and casually went for 27 points.

For those keeping track, Big Ben now has 18 or more points in four games this year, the two exceptions not much to worry about given his in-and-out nature thanks to injuries.

The Seahawks aren't exactly a formidable threat this year, either, especially when their numbers against quarterbacks look inflated thanks to games against St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Carolina, San Francisco twice and Dallas without Tony Romo.

It's going to be another day at the office for Big Ben.

Star to Sit: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. STL)

Andy Dalton might be fantasy's fifth-highest scorer at the position this year, but it's not wise to trot out the Cincinnati Bengals star against the St. Louis Rams.

Dalton hasn't been consistent in a good sense since a Week 7 bye, going for single-digit production in every other game since. The team doesn't need him to post big numbers to win thanks to strong pieces around him.

To make matters worse, the Rams surrender the second-fewest points to the position this year. The defense has held four sets of quarterbacks to no passing scores whatsoever and four to just one.

In a defensive, run-first affair, Dalton's going to have a quiet weekend.

RB 

Matchup	Verdict
Adrian Peterson (at ATL) vs. Chris Ivory (vs. MIA)	Adrian Peterson
Mark Ingram (at HOU) vs. Lamar Miller (at NYJ)	Mark Ingram
Todd Gurley (at CIN) vs. Doug Martin (at IND)	Todd Gurley
Danny Woodhead (at JAC) vs. DeMarco Murray (at DET)	Danny Woodhead
LeGarrette Blount (at DEN ) vs. DeAngelo Williams (at SEA)	DeAngelo Williams

Star to Know: Darren McFadden, Dallas Cowboys (vs. CAR)

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Any running back going against the Carolina Panthers defense sounds like a terrible situation on paper. 

After all, Luke Kuechly and Co. allow the ninth-fewest points to backs this year. That said, games against non-rushing teams such as Jacksonville, Houston, Indianapolis, Green Bay, Tennessee and Washington tend to do that for rankings.

In other words, there's no reason to shy away from Dallas Cowboys lead back Darren McFadden. He's posted double digits in four of his last five since taking over as the every-down starter, and Carolina will have enough to deal with while paying attention to Romo through the air.

Star to Sit: Thomas Rawls, Seattle Seahawks (vs. PIT)

Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls might be fantasy's hottest commodity right now.

Why not? Playing in place of the injured Marshawn Lynch, Rawls exploded for 36 points last week by way of 30 carries for 209 yards and a score.

The positives end there, though. First, the outburst came against lowly San Francisco. Two, Rawls was limited in practice this week so far. Three, he next has to line up against the Steelers, the team allowing the fewest points to backs.

Pittsburgh has allowed just two rushing scores this year. Rawls might have plenty of chances, but that doesn't always guarantee production.

WR

Matchup	Verdict
Antonio Brown (at SEA) vs. Allen Hurns (vs. SD)	Antonio Brown
Julio Jones (vs MIN) vs. Allen Robinson (vs. SD)	Julio Jones
DeAndre Hopkins (vs. NO) vs. Brandon Marshall (vs. MIA)	DeAndre Hopkins
Odell Beckham Jr. (at WAS) vs. A.J. Green (vs. STL)	A.J. Green
Larry Fitzgerald (at SF) vs. Jarvis Landry (at NYJ)	Larry Fitzgerald

Star to Know: Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. SD)

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Allen Robinson might lose a value comparison with Julio Jones, but the Jacksonville Jaguars' top wideout remains a must-play option in what looks like a bad matchup. 

Believe it or not, the San Diego Chargers surrender the fifth-fewest points to wideouts this year, having allowed just six scores to the position and six games without one at all.

None of the above means Robinson will have a bad game, though. He's scored double digits in seven of 10 games this year with six in a row and counting. He'll remain a WR1 as the team's top target hog and one of the league's outright most talented players, national publicity or not.

Look for Robinson to break free deep a few times in a shootout.

Star to Sit: Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears (at GB)

Chicago Bears wideout Alshon Jeffery just hasn't been able to stay healthy this year. 

Granted, Jeffery has three games at 15 or more points over his five starts, but it's not a gamble owners should want to take with Jeffery sporting a questionable tag going into an encounter with the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay isn't the best defense in the league by any means, but it did hold Jeffery to just seven points in Week 1.

This time around, Jeffery has to hope to overcome an injury for a Thursday game on the road in the cold. It's a lot to ask, and owners can do much better from a reliability standpoint.

TE

Matchup	Verdict
Rob Gronkowski (at DEN) vs. Travis Kelce (vs. BUF)	Rob Gronkowski
Delanie Walker (vs. OAK) vs. Tyler Eifert (vs. STL)	Delanie Walker
Gary Barnidge (vs. BAL) vs. Greg Olsen (at DAL)	Greg Olsen
Ben Watson (at HOU) vs. Jimmy Graham (vs. PIT)	Jimmy Graham
Richard Rodgers (vs. CHI) vs. Jason Witten (vs. CAR)	Jason Witten

Star to Know: Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Gary Barnidge of the Cleveland Browns won't come close to ruining the holiday spirit for owners this weekend.

The matchup looks bleak as Barnidge has to go against a game Baltimore Ravens defense against tight ends, which allows just the fifth-fewest points to the position. But the Ravens have coughed up a pair of double-digit outings to sets of tight ends this year.

One of those outings went to none other than Barnidge back in Week 5 when he caught eight passes for 139 yards and a score, good for 19 points—and just one of his seven double-digit outbursts on the season.

Barnidge knows how to handle Baltimore, so expect another big outing.

Star to Sit: Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions (vs. PHI)

Eric Ebron of the Detroit Lions, on the other hand, wouldn't know what to do with a good matchup if it hit him in the hands. 

Maybe that's a bit harsh, but Ebron has mustered all of two points over his last two outings, both of which looked like great matchups that wound up ruined with drop issues.

There's little reason to believe, then, that Ebron can have a major outing against a Philadelphia Eagles defense permitting the second-fewest points to the position.

Philadelphia has allowed just two scores to tight ends this year. Given Ebron's trajectory, he won't make it three or more. 

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 26. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.