Week 15 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Who Are the Smart Matchup Plays?

The fantasy football regular season has reached its conclusion, and for those fantasy owners who managed their teams to a berth in the playoffs, Week 15 brings with it the beginning of fantasy's second season in some leagues and its continuation in others.

To assist those fantasy owners forced to look outside the top 10 players at each position, as well as those now forced to plug a late injury hole (such as fantasy owners of Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray), here's a look at 10 players with the sort of favorable fantasy matchups that merit strong consideration for inclusion into starting lineups this week.

1. Joe Flacco: QB, Baltimore Ravens (at SD)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had one of his better games of the 2011 season in last week's victory over the Indianapolis Colts, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes for 227 yards and tossing a pair of touchdown passes.

Flacco should make it two solid games in a row this week when the Ravens travel west to face the San Diego Chargers, as the Bolts have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks so far this season.

2. Rex Grossman: QB, Washington Redskins (at NYG)

Ninth-year veteran Rex Grossman has performed fairly well since being re-inserted as the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins, averaging over 260 passing yards per game over the past three weeks and throwing four touchdown passes over that span.

Grossman should continue to post respectable numbers when the Redskins face the New York Giants this week, who have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, rank a moribund 29th in the NFL against the pass and gave up 300-plus passing yards to Grossman back in Week 1.

3. Cedric Benson: RB, Cincinnati Bengals (at STL)

Running back Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals may well be one of the least explosive starters at his position in the NFL, but the seventh-year pro remains an effective back, gaining 91 yards on 21 carries in a loss to the Houston Texans Sunday.

Benson has a good shot at notching his fourth 100-plus rushing yards game of the season this week when the Bengals meet the St. Louis Rams, who are the seventh-friendliest fantasy matchup for opposing ball-carriers this year.

4. Reggie Bush: RB, Miami Dolphins (at BUF)

Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his six-year career in his first year in South Florida, setting a career high in rushing yards while averaging over 100 total yards a game over his past three contests.

Bush will have every opportunity to continue his career renaissance this week against the reeling Buffalo Bills, who are a top-five fantasy matchup for opposing running backs and rank a woeful 25th in the National Football League in run defense.

5. Beanie Wells: RB, Arizona Cardinals (vs. CLE)

Whether it was his nagging knee injury, the San Francisco 49ers' top-ranked run defense or a combination of the two, Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells struggled mightily in last week's victory, managing just 27 yards on 15 carries against the Niners.

Wells is in for a rebound this week when the Cleveland Browns visit University of Phoenix Stadium, as Cleveland has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs in 2011.

6. Santana Moss: WR, Washington Redskins (at NYG)

Wide receiver Santana Moss of the Washington Redskins has his best game of the 2011 season from a yardage standpoint in last week's loss to the New England Patriots, with the 11th-year veteran reeling in three catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.

Moss should be able to build on that output when the Redskins meet the New York Giants and their injury-depleted defense this week, which has given up the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this year.

7. Laurent Robinson: WR, Dallas Cowboys (at TB)

Like I was going to forget about him.

Even with Miles Austin returning to the Dallas Cowboys lineup, it was wide receiver Laurent Robinson who stole the show in Sunday night's loss to the New York Giants, hauling in four passes for 137 yards and his eighth touchdown of the season.

The fifth-year veteran has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy football at his position this year and has emerged as a favored target of quarterback Tony Romo, and there's little reason to believe that will change this week when Dallas squares off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

8. Demaryius Thomas: WR, Denver Broncos (vs. NE)

Over the past two games, second-year wide receiver Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos has become the preferred target of quarterback Tim Tebow in the Denver passing game, with the former Georgia Tech standout making 11 catches for 222 yards and three touchdowns over that stretch.

If ever there was a matchup tailor-made for Thomas to continue that hot streak it's this week's tilt with the New England Patriots, who will likely force the Broncos to the air and who have allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers this season.

9. Dallas Clark: TE, Indianapolis Colts (vs. TEN)

After missing the past three games with a leg injury, tight end Dallas Clark returned to the lineup for the Indianapolis Colts last week, making one catch for 12 yards as the nightmare that has been the 2011 season for the 0-13 Colts continued.

Clark is little more than a fantasy desperation play at this point given his layoff and the putrid state of the Colts offense, but his matchup with a Tennessee Titans team giving up the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends makes the ninth-year veteran worth a look from teams hurting at the position.

10. Arizona Cardinals Defense/Special Teams (vs. CLE)

The Arizona Cardinals played their best game of the 2011 season in last week's victory over the San Francisco 49ers, and the Cardinals have now reeled off five wins in six games thanks in large part to their defense, which ranks 10th in fantasy points this season.

The Cardinals also boast one of the National Football League's most dangerous return men in cornerback Patrick Peterson, and with a prime matchup with a Cleveland Browns team giving up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses up next, the Cardinals are certainly worth a look as a one-week matchup play defensively.