Everyone is confronted with tough decisions week in and week out. Those who make the right decisions on who to start and who to bench will win. Outsiders often attribute the ability to make the right decision to luck. It can be the case, but skilled owners make far more right choices than wrong. Makes sense, right? Below is my way of making those tough decisions a little bit easier.
QUARTERBACKS
Kurt Warner, Cardinals (YES!): Unless you’ve got Peyton Manning, you should be starting Warner this week. He’s on a tremendous hot streak right now (and his points per game for the entire season are strong in most formats). On top of all that, he faces San Francisco, which allows the most passing yards in the league. That takes some real doing when you’re behind a lot of the time.
Brett Favre, Packers (NO!): Favre put together a pretty good fantasy stretch earlier this year, but at this point his tendency to gamble makes him a very risky fantasy player. Throw in that the Bears have an interceptions to touchdowns ration of better than two to one, and you have a good week to sit Favre.
RUNNING BACKS
Jamal Lewis, Ravens (YES!): You’ve probably given up on him at this point, and that’s fair given the results. However, Lewis finally broke through for his first 100-yard game of the year last week, and he even scored his second touchdown of the year. This week, he gets the Houston defense, which allows more rushing yards than any other team in the league.
Sam Gado, Packers (NO!): Gado came back from a bad outing with another big game last week. However, the Bears are probably the league’s premier run defense this year, allowing only three touchdowns all season. At this point, Gado isn’t consistent enough, and his team isn’t good enough, for him to be counted on against this type of opponent.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Derrick Mason, Ravens (YES!): While Mason hasn’t necessarily provided the clear number one receiver numbers the Ravens envisioned, he nonetheless is on pace for a 1,000-yard season. And if there’s one thing the Texans are worse at than stopping the run, it’s stopping the pass.
Joe Horn, Saints (NO!): Horn hasn’t scored since he got hurt back in Week Two. While he’s too good to remain in this funk forever, this week’s game against the Bucs is highly unlikely to be his breakout game.
TIGHT ENDS
Heath Miller, Steelers (YES!): Miller hit the waiver wire in some leagues when he stopped catching touchdowns. However, Big Ben’s return should again make him the main man in the red zone.
Erron Kinney, Titans (NO!): While he played last week, and should play this week, he’s questionable and his production has been off the last couple of weeks.
KICKERS
Lawrence Tynes, Chiefs (YES!): He’s third in the league in points and plays for a solid offense that should score points at home against the Broncos this week.
Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders (NO!): I don’t think the Raiders are going to be able to keep up with the Chargers on the road this week.
DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS
Minnesota Vikings (YES!): They’ve had a bizarre year, following up consecutive zero point fantasy performances in standard leagues with a series of double-digit scores. With the crippled Lions on the table this week, I’d expect the good Vikings to show up.
Washington Redskins (NO!): Still not a very good fantasy defense, and becoming a questionable NFL defense as well, at least at crunch time.