Week 13 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Andy Dalton and More Sleepers to Leave Benched

A trendy name doesn't always mean that someone will be a good fantasy player. 

These players are all available in many ESPN leagues. The names look good. As a matter of fact, I have suggested that every one of these players be brought in as a sleeper pick at least once this season.

However, I am now looking the other way. The names are big enough to attract your attention, but the situations just aren't right to play these guys at this time of the year.

Andy Dalton

Dalton's a quarterback whose bandwagon I have been on this year. It's quite likely that I'll make a return trip at some point in the final stretch, but this is not that week. This has as much to do with the players around Dalton as it does the QB himself. 

Outside of A.J. Green, the Bengals just don't have the weapons around Dalton to make him a viable fantasy play against a team like the Steelers. Green is dynamic, but it's too easy to key on him. 

The strength of Cincinnati's defense also works against Dalton. At the very least, they will do enough to keep this game close. If they weren't so good, I would be more confident that Dalton would be throwing as a result of them being far behind. However, that's not realistic this week.

Look for them to pound the ball hard. That's not going to benefit Dalton's fantasy showing. 

Donald Brown

Unlike Dalton, I am suggesting to leave Brown benched for the fear of a blowout. The Colts are taking a trip to New England. The Patriots are heating up on offense and finding ways to keep opponents off the scoreboard on defense.

Oh, and the Colts don't have a single win this year.

That's a recipe for a blowout. When you're on the wrong end of a blowout, your running back isn't going to be seeing much action. 

Brown was a fine option last week, since the Colts were lined up against the Panthers. While New England's run defense is not a vaunted unit, their offense is. That will effectively neutralize the Colts' running game.

Braylon Edwards

For one, there is absolutely no guarantee that Edwards will even play this week. However, even if I knew he was playing, his lack of production all season can't be ignored. 

Maybe that's got something to do with his shoulder injury, but there are no excuses in fantasy. The guy's either producing or he's not. Edwards is not. 

This looks like a nice matchup. The Rams' secondary leaves an awful lot to be desired. Still, in the passing game alone, I see Michael Crabtree, Kyle Williams, Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker and even the RB duo of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter as better aerial weapons than Edwards.

The former Jets receiver hasn't found the end zone once this year and isn't getting anywhere near enough yards to make up for that. Until he does, he belongs on the bench.