Week 8 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Frank Gore, Cam Newton and Studs to Sit

This is the time of the fantasy football season to take risks, and sitting a major NFL star on you fantasy football bench could be a risk you need to take.

There are bye weeks to contend with and injuries are always a concern, but the bottom line is that, this week, there are better options than the following players.

If you have any of the following players, this might be one of the weeks where you take the long shot and sit one of your top players. No risk, no reward.

Frank Gore—The San Francisco 49ers have shown a commitment to the run game this season, but Frank Gore won’t go off against the stingy run defense of the Cleveland Browns

Gore is all about running through tackles, and the big players the Browns have on the defense line and in the linebacker group will keep Gore from breaking loose for a big day.

Cam Newton—While the rookie has been lights out running the ball, his passing numbers have really cooled off compared to where he was at the beginning of the season. The numbers are still great, but they have come to earth a bit.

As bad as the Minnesota Vikings have looked this season, the pass defense has remained one of the best in the NFC, and they will throw blitzes at Newton that he hasn’t seen before.

Hakeem Nicks—The Miami Dolphins are one of the worst teams in the NFL, and they even lost to the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow! The New York Giants will crush the Dolphins, and it will be mostly on the ground.

Nicks should have a few catches, but the lack of passing attempts will limit the likelihood that Hakeem Nicks gets off for a monster fantasy day.

Check back for more on the NFL world as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Football Page to get your fill of the NFL.

Follow @Donald_Wood