Week 9 Start Em Sit Em: Rashard Mendenhall and Others You Should Bench

Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills

Johnson makes the trip to Revis Island this week, which immediately drops the fantasy value for any receiver who visits. The island has been especially scary in 2011, too. Darrelle Revis is allowing just a 2.9 passer rating on passes thrown his way through seven games. Just 10 passes—yes, 10—have been completed on Revis. Johnson might get his hands on a few balls, but don't expect good (or any?) numbers in this matchup.

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

There hasn't been a more up and down quarterback in fantasy football this season than Flacco. One week, he'll throw for 300 yards and three scores. The next week, he can't even crack 150 in Jacksonville.

Last week, he was rightfully booed in the first half when the Ravens went into halftime down by 18 points to the one-win Cardinals. Flacco now has to deal with the Steelers in Pittsburgh, where he's been historically awful. All in all, this is a terrible matchup for the current version of Flacco.

Eric Decker, Denver Broncos

Decker is a fantastic talent, but the concern here obviously centers around the Broncos quarterback (or lack thereof). Tim Tebow simply cannot distribute the ball consistently to any target on the field, and that includes Decker. While he caught a touchdown pass in garbage time last week, you just never know when Decker is going to have a game like in Tebow's first start (two catches, 21 yards).

Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers

Mendenhall is a guy you should consider benching in all formats. In six career regular season games against the Ravens, Mendenhall is averaging under 60 yards rushing a contest. It's not about a lack of touches, either; Mendenhall's 3.1 yards per carry vs. the Ravens ranks among his worst against any team. With the Ravens continuing to stop the run in 2011, Mendenhall is a risky start this week.