Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 12: Advice for Fringe Flex Fantasy Football Starters

Strong fantasy football options can sometimes come from surprising places.

At the beginning of the season, Bo Scarbrough didn't have a job. The running back was cut by the Seattle Seahawks at the end of the preseason and didn't join a new team until the Detroit Lions added him to their practice squad on Nov. 6.

Yet, this past Sunday, the 23-year-old was starting for the Lions in their home game against the Dallas Cowboys. Not only that, but he also rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown in a solid NFL debut.

It may be an opportunity that Scarbrough capitalizes on and will make him an intriguing fantasy option, especially with a favorable matchup this week against the Washington Redskins.

The Alabama product should be added and inserted into fantasy football lineups this week. Here are some other players to start, as well as some that should sit, in Week 12.

Quarterback

Start 'Em: Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The Falcons have been playing better since their Week 9 bye, and some of that can be attributed to Matt Ryan. In back-to-back wins over the Saints and Panthers, he threw a pair of touchdowns against New Orleans and then passed for 311 yards and a score.

That was the 34-year-old's first 300-yard passing game since opening the season by eclipsing that mark in six straight games.

Ryan should start another 300-yard streak at home against the Buccaneers, who are allowing 290.9 passing yards per game (31st in the NFL).

The Boston College product is typically a reliable fantasy option with top wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley in his offense, and that should again be the case this week.

Feel comfortable plugging in Ryan and watch him rack up the yards this week.

Sit 'Em: Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz vs. Seattle Seahawks

This is a challenging matchup for the Eagles as they face the Seahawks, who are coming off their bye. But this decision is more about Carson Wentz's recent unimpressive numbers.

In the Eagles' past nine games, the 26-year-old has only passed for 300 yards once. He's also only had one multi-touchdown game over Philadelphia's last six contests.

Seattle's passing defense hasn't been great, but it has faced some high-powered offenses in recent weeks. Its last four games have been against teams that rank in the top 10 in the NFL in total offense: the Ravens, Falcons, Buccaneers and 49ers.

There should be a point when Wentz starts becoming a better fantasy option this season, but this won't be it. Find another quarterback to put in lineups this week.

Running Back

Start 'Em: Detroit Lions RB Bo Scarbrough at Washington Redskins

It took a while for Scarbrough to make his NFL debut, but he finally did last week, and it was a solid showing. After spending much of the past two seasons on various teams' practice squads, he rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys.

The Alabama native was a top waiver-wire target for many fantasy owners this week, but if you ended up with him, don't make the mistake of leaving him on your bench. The Lions are set to take on one of the worst rushing defenses in the NFL in the Redskins (133.9 rushing yards allowed per game, 28th in the league).

Plus, Detroit is still without Kerryon Johnson and none of its other running backs were impressing prior to the addition of Scarbrough.

Sunday could be a breakout performance for Scarbrough and fantasy owners won't want to miss out.

Sit 'Em: Buffalo Bills RB Devin Singletary vs. Denver Broncos

This past week, the Broncos' defense mostly shut down one of the best running backs in the NFL, as they limited the Vikings' Dalvin Cook to a season-low 26 rushing yards on 11 carries.

That wasn't a one-week occurrence, either. Denver's defense is allowing only 3.7 yards per carry to running backs this season, making it a difficult matchup for Buffalo's backfield this week.

Devin Singletary hasn't been overly impressive in his rookie season. He's yet to rush for 100 yards in a game, and he's scored only one touchdown in five weeks since returning from injury.

The 22-year-old had one of his better showings this past week, rushing for 75 yards on 15 carries, but that came against a lackluster Dolphins defense.

Don't expect Singletary to put up similar numbers this week and find a better streaming option if you're in need of a running back.

Wide Receiver

Start 'Em: Oakland Raiders WR Tyrell Williams at New York Jets

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Tyrell Williams got a bit more involved in the Raiders' offense this past Sunday, when he had four receptions for 82 yards in their win over the Bengals. It was the first time that he had more than three catches in a game since Week 2.

Early in the season, the 27-year-old was getting in the end zone every week, as he opened the year with five straight games with one touchdown. But he's been prevented from scoring in each of Oakland's past three games, a streak that seems likely to end this week.

The Jets don't have a great pass defense (253.3 yards allowed per game, 21st in the NFL), and this could be a game with a decent number of points as New York's offense has been playing better in recent weeks.

The Raiders are the better team, and they should come away with a win, but they may be in some situations where they need to pass frequently. In that case, a big day for Williams should be on the horizon.

Sit 'Em: Baltimore Ravens WR Marquise Brown at Los Angeles Rams

The Ravens' offense is explosive and Marquise Brown has had some solid showings in his rookie season. However, this won't be one of them.

As Baltimore's top receiver, it's likely the 22-year-old will be covered by Los Angeles' No. 1 cornerback, Jalen Ramsey. He's one of the best corners in the league, and he's going to give Brown a lot of trouble in this Monday night matchup.

The Ravens can still put up points against the Rams, but they're likely going to be keeping the ball on the ground a good bit and heavily utilizing their tight ends. That's not exactly a game plan that spells success for the Oklahoma product.

There are better streaming options at wide receiver this week than Brown, who will have opportunities to shine later in the season.

Tight End

Start 'Em: New York Jets TE Ryan Griffin vs. Oakland Raiders

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Ryan Griffin has emerged as the Jets' top tight end after having at least 50 receiving yards in three of their last four games. That included Sunday when he had five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown—the first 100-yard game of his career—in a win over the Redskins.

While Washington isn't a strong opponent, its passing defense hasn't been terrible, so it was an impressive showing for the 29-year-old. Meanwhile, Oakland struggles to stop tight ends, meaning he should be set up for another nice week.

Griffin was available in a lot of fantasy leagues entering this week, and he still could be as we get closer to Sunday. But he's proving to be a more reliable fantasy option than many streaming choices at tight end, so take the chance on him making an impact again this week.

Sit 'Em: Denver Broncos TE Noah Fant at Buffalo Bills

Noah Fant has been impressive in the Broncos' last two games, totaling seven receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown in games against the Browns and Vikings. But his numbers this week will likely look closer to the lackluster ones he was putting up earlier in the season.

The Bills rank third in the NFL in passing defense (197.8 yards allowed per game), and they're one of only three teams—along with the 49ers and Patriots—holding opponents below 200 yards through the air per game this season. 

That means Fant won't have as many opportunities to break out for another big game, as Denver will likely try to rely on its running game. Find another streaming option at tight end this week.