Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they’ll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Todd Gurley and Antonio Brown will not be featured. All player matchups are based on PPR scoring system. NFL researchers Matt Frederick and Michael Florio have contributed to the column. For your final starting lineup decisions, check our weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes: Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Start ‘Em
Start of the Week – Matt Ryan vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ryan has been red hot in the stat sheets, scoring 12 total touchdowns and 29-plus fantasy points per game over the last three weeks. His streak looks likely to continue against the Steelers, who have surrendered a combined 13 touchdowns and an average of 27.9 points per game to opposing quarterbacks after four weeks.
Ben Roethlisberger vs. Atlanta Falcons
Big Ben‘s home-road trend has gone sideways in the last two weeks, but I’m still riding him in what should be a scoreboard scorcher against the Falcons. Their banged-up defense has surrendered a combined 11 touchdowns and over 25 fantasy points per contest to signal-callers this season. Keep the faith in Roethlisberger this weekend.
Jared Goff vs. Seattle Seahawks
This week’s matchup in Seattle might scare off some fantasy fans, but it shouldn’t. Their defense has allowed just 13.7 points per game to quarterbacks, but look at the opposition … Case Keenum, Mitchell Trubisky, Dak Prescott and Josh Rosen. Eh, not all that impressive. Goff and the Rams should feast again in this NFC West battle.
Matthew Stafford vs. Green Bay Packers
Stafford is on a bit of a hot streak, scoring an average of more than 20 fantasy points over his last three starts. He’s a good bet to remain productive against the Packers in a game that could be a high scorer at Ford Field. Stafford has also scored 17 or more points in four of his last five home games versus Green Bay, so expect a productive line.
Blake Bortles vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Bortles has not been what you would call a reliable option in the stat sheets, but an upcoming matchup against the Chiefs makes him a viable streamer. Their defense has been awful in all aspects of the game thus far, including allowing nine total touchdowns and over 24 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks in 2018.
Start ‘Em: Philip Rivers vs. Oakland Raiders, Carson Wentz vs. Minnesota Vikings
Sleepers: Alex Smith at New Orleans Saints, Andy Dalton vs. Miami Dolphins
Sit ‘Em
Sit of the Week – Dak Prescott vs. Houston Texans
Prescott has a great matchup on paper against the Texans, but can you trust him? While he did produce 18.4 fantasy points last week, 5.52 of those points came on a simple screen pass that Ezekiel Elliott took to the house. Maybe he’s worth a look in two-quarterback leagues, otherwise I’d beware Prescott as a starter this week.
Joe Flacco vs. Cleveland Browns
Flacco has had a nice start to the season, scoring 17-plus fantasy points in three of his first four games, including two games with 20-plus points. Still, he’s a hard sell against a Browns defense that has held him to fewer than 16.5 points in six of their last eight home games against them. Beware Flacco this week in an AFC North battle.
Baker Mayfield vs. Baltimore Ravens
Mayfield was a popular start last week, but he failed to produce with four turnovers and 12.8 fantasy points. I’d keep the rookie on the sidelines against the Ravens, who have given up just five scoring strikes and an average of 12.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Baltimore will get CB Jimmy Smith back, too.
Case Keenum vs. New York Jets
The useful and fantasy-relevant Keenum appears to have been left in Minnesota. He’s failed to score more than 15 fantasy points in three straight games, including a 7.8-point stinker at home despite a great matchup against the Chiefs. He’s an easy fade for me against a Jets defense that’s been tough on quarterbacks so far this season.
Eli Manning vs. Carolina Panthers
Manning was a big-time sleeper a week ago, but he finished with a mere 14.7 points in a loss to the Saints. His next matchup is a roadie against a Panthers defense fresh off a bye that’s allowed an average of fewer than 17 fantasy points to quarterbacks in their last nine home games. There’s far better options on the fantasy waiver wire.
Sit ‘Em: Ryan Tannehill at Cincinnati Bengals, C.J. Beathard vs. Arizona Cardinals
Busts: Russell Wilson vs. Los Angeles Rams, Andrew Luck at New England Patriots (Thur.)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
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