NFL Week 14 Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Kevin Smith and Others To Bench

The fantasy football week begins today, so you have to ensure that the right players are starting, and the right players are sitting.

It's do or die, win or cry time in fantasy football, so making sure that you have the best possible lineup is crucial. That being said, here are four players to bench in Week 14.

Kevin Smith: RB, Lions (at Vikings)

According to Anwar S. Richardson, a Lions Beat Writer for MLive, RB Kevin Smith missed another practice:

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"Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley and running back Kevin Smith missed a second day of practice, according to the team's injury report."

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Therefore, even if Smith ends up suiting up not only will he not be 100 percent, but the Vikings rush defense will shut him down. Minnesota may have a weak pass defense but the Lions aren't much of a running team anyway.

You're going to see a lot of Matthew Stafford dropping back and airing out as opposed to Kevin Smith on the ground, that is, if he even plays.

Detroit needs a big win here and to do so they must outscore the Vikings. Minnesota is better at running the ball and the Lions can't get into a down-tempo match. All that said, regardless of whether Smith plays, keep him on the bench.

Brandon Jacobs: RB, Giants (at Cowboys)

According to Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger, RB Brandon Jacobs missed practice:

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"Also out is Bradshaw's backfield mate in Brandon Jacobs, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. Indications are Jacobs, who will address reporters today, should be on the field on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys."

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Now, although Jacobs appears to be suiting up, don't expect much production or even opportunities to produce. For one, the Cowboys have the No. 9 ranked rush defense and New York ranks dead last in rush offense.

So, whenever Jacobs does carry the rock, he will be devoured in the trenches. Another reason is because this game has shootout written all over it.

Big D and Big Blue each have a top-five passing offense, so expect a lot of passes. The Giants lack the ability to slow the game down and as evidenced by the Packers game, their strength is in the air.

Not to mention that with playoff implications on the line, you can't expect New York to hold anything back. And they will if Jacobs sees a lot carries.

Josh Freeman: QB, Buccaneers (at Jaguars)

According to Rick Brown of The Bucs' Scene on The Ledger, QB Josh Freeman's status is still up in the air:

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"Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman was again limited at practice on Wednesday with a shoulder injury. The injury kept the third-year quarterback out of Sunday’s game against Carolina. The Bucs hope to get him back for this week’s game at Jacksonville but it is too early to tell."

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In spite of Freeman's unknown status, he should still remain on your bench regardless of whether he plays.

For one, his receiving targets are weak and the Jaguars do have an opportunistic defense, not to mention they rank No. 4 against the pass. For the Buccaneers to have any hope of moving the ball, it must be on the ground.

Running the football may not be Tampa's ultimate strength, however, it's what got them off to a solid 4-2 start before dropping six straight. And even if Freeman plays, he won't be 100 percent.

It's not a must-win game for the Bucs, so they should start looking at the offseason since 2011 is over anyway.

Cedric Benson: RB, Bengals (vs. Texans)

According to Draft Shark's Shark Bites, RB Cedric Benson missed practice on Thursday:

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"After putting in a limited practice on Wednesday, Bengals RB Cedric Benson (foot) was held out on Thursday.  Remember that he didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday before playing against the Steelers last weekend."

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Now yes, the same thing pretty much happened last week, however, Benson was shut down against Pittsburgh and the Houston Texans are arguably better against the run.

For starters, the Texans rank No. 4 in defending the run and Cincinnati ranks just No. 20 in rushing offense. Sure the Bengals will need to establish some sort of ground game to have a shot at moving the ball on Houston, but don't expect much production.

Benson may be the main Brahma Bull for a rising Cincinnati team, but going against a top five defense isn't going to get him any nice fantasy numbers. Most likely he'll be used for extra pass protection and play-action, otherwise not much contributing on the ground.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27