Week 16 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Running Backs to Banish to Your Bench

If your fantasy team has made it this far, you have my congratulations. Assuming you play in a normal league, you're in the championship game.

To actually win, odds are you're going to be looking to your running backs to score big points this weekend. Most owners will be okay, as their running backs have gotten them this far and could certainly take them the next step.

But some owners are not so lucky. There are plenty of running backs facing tough matchups in Week 16. Four in particular are worth benching altogether.

Let's discuss which ones and why.

4. Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals

I have a weird kind of love/hate relationship with Beanie Wells. I chalk that up to him being the most frustrating feast or famine running back in the league.

Don't expect Wells to do much feasting against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. The Bengals don't allow running backs to gain too many yards on the ground, and Wells isn't much of a threat to burn them by catching the football. That's just not his thing.

Besides, I have my concerns about how John Skelton is going to fare in this game. He's performed admirably in relief of Kevin Kolb, but he hasn't been nearly as sharp on the road. The Bengals are fighting for their playoff lives, so I expect them to keep things that way.

As a result, Arizona's whole offense will struggle, and Wells with it.

3. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams

It sounds like Sam Bradford is going to be a no-go again, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote on Thursday that he is "very doubtful" for Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about Jackson against any other team, but the Steelers are a horse of a different color. They have one of the stingiest rush defenses in the league, and you can rest assured that it will be focused on stopping Jackson.

In addition, Pittsburgh's defense will be a little extra motivated to put the Rams in a hole, as Ben Roethlisberger is going to have to sit this one out with his high-ankle sprain. Per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Charlie Batch will get the start.

Assuming Batch isn't about to turn into Aaron Rodgers, he's going to need some help from his defense. It will oblige him.

2. Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns

The good news for Peyton Hillis is that the Browns finally showed on Sunday that they're willing to give him a heavy workload, as they gave him 26 carries against the Arizona Cardinals.

The bad news is that a similar workload is not in the cards for Hillis against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. The Ravens have the league's No. 2 rush defense, and Hillis should know full well just how good it is. He only gained 45 yards against the Ravens in the first meeting between these two teams.

It doesn't help that Seneca Wallace is going to be starting this game for the Browns. He's not about to keep Baltimore's defense honest, and that will spell trouble for Hillis.

If he does end up having a bad game, at least we won't have to blame the curse.

1. Kahlil Bell, Chicago Bears

Matt Forte is still out, and the word from the Chicago Tribune is that Marion Barber is also too injured to play.

So against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Bears will have to start Kahlil Bell.

Now, Green Bay's defense is far from impenetrable, but that doesn't mean that a third-string running back is about to run circles around them. Especially not when you consider that the Packers are likely going to be playing with a sense of urgency after suffering their first loss of the season in Week 15.

We also don't know if Bell is going to get any help from new starting quarterback Josh McCown. I'm going to be pessimistic and say he probably won't.