NFL Fantasy Start & Sit Week 10: Joe Flacco To Shine on Monday Night

We had a productive Start/Sit column last week, as we took advantage of some "can't miss" matchups and suggested some solid starts out of Alex Smith and Ryan Grant, with quality sleeper predictions by recommending you keep an eye on both Vince Young and Josh Freeman.

Every week brings forth another collection of favorable matchups, as well as some situations that may ask you to sit guys that you would normally refer to as "studs." Without further haste, here are the guys for Week 10 to start, sit, and keep an eye on.

Start

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens

Flacco has been very sub-par in his last two outings, throwing just one touchdown in games against the Broncos and Bengals.

However, he's too good to stay down for too long, and he and the rest of the Baltimore offense have a very friendly date with the inept Cleveland Browns. Oh, and it's in front of the nation. Count on Ray Rice and Co. to guide Flacco back to fantasy relevance.

Prediction: 21-29, 304 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT

Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Everyone keeps waiting for Favre's arm to fall off or for the interceptions to start raining from the sky.

But the truth is, if you've been watching him at all this season, Favre is too much under control and has too many weapons to revert to that style of play. Facing the awful Lions at home after a week of rest doesn't hurt, either.

Prediction: 19-26, 227 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT

Ricky Williams, RB, Miami Dolphins

Williams made a fool of us last week as he put up 36 total yards and a score on just eight touches, after we suggested to leave him on the bench.

You can't let him sit and waste away in Week 10, though, as he has a tasty matchup with a Buccaneers run defense that allowed Ryan Grant to run for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Williams plays second fiddle to Ronnie Brown, but it won't matter against this defense.

Prediction: 13 att, 70 yds, 1 TD, 4 rec, 28 yds, 0 TD

Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Just like the "Favre Watch," most people are betting Austin's run of four games with at least one touchdown has to end sometime. That's what the Philadelphia Eagles thought, too, and then his lone catch on Sunday went for the score that won the game. Don't bet on the Packers' vulnerable pass defense holding this budding star in check.

Prediction: 6 rec, 87 yds, 1 TD

John Carlson, TE, Seattle Seahawks

The last time the Seahawks faced the Arizona Cardinals, we told you to start Matt Hasselbeck and it blew up in our face. What's changed since then?

The Seahawks still can't run the ball, but we like what we're seeing in Hasselbeck's pocket presence and decision-making, and quite frankly, Carlson is well over due for some hook-up's between him and the baldy.

This is the week the connection is refreshed.

Prediction: 7 rec, 81 yds, 1 TD

Sit

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

Ryan hasn't looked like an elite fantasy option since the first three weeks of the season, and he won't be looking much better against the league's top-ranked pass defense in the Carolina Panthers.

Carolina made Drew Brees look average for almost three whole quarters, so Atlanta will have to stick to the ground game to get a win this Sunday, rendering Ryan useless in fantasy football.

Prediction: 13-21, 177 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT

Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Cassel had a decent Week Nine, but should take a back seat to the KC ground attack when he goes up against a regularly stingy Oakland secondary. The Raiders defense plays hard and fast, so unless KC is playing from behind, Cassel is unlikely to be a good play.

Prediction: 15-29, 190 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT

Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay Packers

We've become very aware of certain players' trends and how they fare against certain matchups. Grant, for example, simply can't run against a team that has more than one victory.

He could be present (and should be) on some screens against Dallas, but they aren't terrible against the run, so we're not loving Grant this week.

Prediction: 15 att, 57 yds, 0 TD, 3 rec, 19 yds, 0 TD

Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans Saints

We're almost tempted to pull an "opposite day" call, listing Bush as a "sit", but really urging you to start him.

He's scored a rushing touchdown in three of his last four games, so we know he has value, but he's yet to have a game with 65+ yards rushing, and has carried the ball 10-plus times just twice all season.

He did catch a season high seven passes against Carolina, but we're done chasing the hype. Sit Bush.

Prediction: 3 att, 9 yds, 0 TD, 4 rec, 35 yds, 0 TD

Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay Packers

As if Aaron Rodgers wasn't spreading the ball around enough, we saw Donald Driver and James Jones have big days and score a touchdown each against the Buccaneers, while Jennings was held to 48 yards on four grabs.

Jennings has lost his connection with Rodgers, and simply cannot beat double teams on a consistent basis. You can't like him against a Dallas pass defense that shut Donovan McNabb down.

Prediction: 5 rec, 59 yds, 0 TD

Sleeper

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

That's right, we're going out on a limb and saying that Freeman's miraculous debut wasn't a fluke, and that he's really got something going there in Tampa Bay.

That, combined with the slight chance that he gets Antonio Bryant back next week, as well as a decent matchup with the Miami Dolphins, and we're almost pretty sure that he's an OK play. That is, if you're really desperate.

Prediction: 17-31, 224 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT

Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

We're sticking with this "rookie QB" theme, simply because we can't see Stafford throwing five interceptions in back-to-back games (well, yes we can), but even more-so, we think the Vikings pass defense can be had.

Stafford is no Aaron Rodgers (six pass TD in two games against Vikes), but it's a fair assumption that he'll be playing from behind.

We like some yardage and a few scores joined by, you guessed it, a few rookie-esque picks. He's no gem, but if you're in a horrible bind, he sure beats JaMarcus Russell.

Prediction: 21-37, 289 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Detroit Lions

Pettigrew finally came to life this season, establishing a fine connection with Matthew Stafford, while hauling in seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

He's nowhere near "start" status, but his improved chemistry with his rookie quarterback, as well as his match-up against the tight end friendly Vikings, bodes well for his fantasy value.

Prediction: 5 rec, 58 yds, 1 TD

Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

We couldn't completely vouch for Charles last week, as we didn't know what to expect from the unpredictable Todd Haley.

And guess what, that was the right decision. Despite making things happen with the ball in his hands, Haley opted to have Charles share the rock with Kolby Smith, and then aired it out more than he had to in a close loss to the Jaguars.

Look for Charles to get more grind against an Oakland defense that can't stop the run.

Prediction: 13 att, 66 yds, 1 TD, 4 rec, 22 yds, 0 TD

Pierre Garcon, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Garcon has become a ghost in recent weeks, as Austin Collie was Manning's third favorite target to Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, up until this past Sunday against the Texans.

Garcon stepped up his level of play, catching five passes for 60 yards, recording his second straight game with five catches.

We're not ready to throw him back into the "start" genre, but he could be a decent WR3 as a novelty option in the Colts contest with the New England Patriots.

Prediction: 4 rec, 70 yds, 1 TD

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