NFL Week 15 Running Back Sit and Start Report

The Packers will have no luck trying to slow DeMarco Murray

With star running backs banged up such as Adrian Peterson and the second round of the fantasy playoffs here, running back decisions can help continue or end your season. If you’re still around, playing for that spot in your league’s finals, check out which backs will shine or fall flat this week.

Start:

DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys: DeMarco Murray has been very hot of late, performing as fantasy’s sixth best rusher over the last four weeks. In the Cowboys last 4 games, Murray has not had less than 12 fantasy points in a game and has scored 4 touchdowns. With a matchup this week against Green Bay’s 25^th ranked rush defense, the hot streak should continue. Green Bay has been especially bad during the past month, allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing rushers over that span. Keep riding Murray this week.

Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers: Although a little banged up from last week’s win over the Atlanta Falcons, Eddie Lacy once again finds himself with a great matchup. Expected to play, Lacy faces fantasy’s most generous run defense in the Dallas Cowboys. Lacy has scored in six of his last eight games, and the Cowboys have surrendered 17 total touchdowns to opposing running backs this season. Expect Lacy to continue his great rookie season against one of the league’s worst defenses.

Sit:

Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens: If you have managed to get this far with Rice on your squad, you probably have some good options at running back to play over one of fantasy’s biggest busts. Although Rice has been serviceable of late, this is the week to use those alternate options. This week, he faces one of the league’s best front sevens in the Detroit Lions. Except for last week’s bizarre blizzard game, the Lions have been absolutely dominant against the run. Before LeSean McCoy gauged them for two touchdowns last week, the Lions had not given up a touchdown in nine games. Rice is nowhere near the back that McCoy is and will not have much room to run on Monday night.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans: Over the past three weeks, Johnson has seen his yardage totals and carries drop while fellow back, Shonn Greene, begins to cut into his workload, especially towards the goal line. Chris Johnson’s value now comes between the 20s, and with a matchup against the Cardinals fierce run defense looming, this does not look like the week to trust Johnson. The Cardinals are fantasy’s best run defense and have only surrendered more than 100 yards rushing on two occasions. Losing carries and getting vultured, Chris Johnson should remain on the bench this week.

Thursday Night Football Sit and Start Report

Luck should have a strong night against a tough Titans pass defense

Week 11 kicks off with the Indianapolis Colts taking on the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football. With fantasy leagues’ playoffs not far off, it is more important than ever to start stringing together wins.

Start:

Andrew Luck- While Andrew Luck had more than a tough outing against the St. Louis Rams in Week 10, he is still starter worthy on Thursday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans. Luck is a phenomenal young quarterback who, even after his ugly game last week, has thrown for 2,198 yards, 14 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions this season. Start Luck in Week 11 as he looks to rebound from last week’s performance.

Chris Johnson- The Indianapolis Colts have the league’s seventh worst rush defense. With a changing of the guard at quarterback being forced upon the Titans after Jake Locker’s foot injury, fantasy owners should expect Chris Johnson to get a heavier workload. Johnson has a much higher fantasy value in Points Per Reception (PPR) leagues, but is definitely a must start in all fantasy formats.

Sit:

Coby Fleener- The Andrew Luck and Coby Fleener experiment in Indianapolis has not been what fantasy owners had hoped so far this season. Fleener currently has just 29 receptions for 332 yards and three touchdowns through nine games this season. Unfortunately for Fleener owners, the Titans possess the league’s eighth best pass defense. Sit Coby Fleener against the Titans unless you do not have any other tight end options.

Nate Washington- Tennessee Titans fans must be concerned after hearing that starting quarterback Jack Locker suffered a season ending foot injury, leaving Ryan Fitzpatrick to start the rest of the season. This also spells bad news for Nate Washington owners who have seen his production slide in recent weeks. Expect Fitzpatrick to target wide receiver Kendall Wright much more against the Colts and bench Nate Washington.

Thursday Night Football Sit and Start Report

Luck should have a strong night against a tough Titans pass defense

Week 11 kicks off with the Indianapolis Colts taking on the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football. With fantasy leagues’ playoffs not far off, it is more important than ever to start stringing together wins.

Start:

Andrew Luck- While Andrew Luck had more than a tough outing against the St. Louis Rams in Week 10, he is still starter worthy on Thursday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans. Luck is a phenomenal young quarterback who, even after his ugly game last week, has thrown for 2,198 yards, 14 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions this season. Start Luck in Week 11 as he looks to rebound from last week’s performance.

Chris Johnson- The Indianapolis Colts have the league’s seventh worst rush defense. With a changing of the guard at quarterback being forced upon the Titans after Jake Locker’s foot injury, fantasy owners should expect Chris Johnson to get a heavier workload. Johnson has a much higher fantasy value in Points Per Reception (PPR) leagues, but is definitely a must start in all fantasy formats.

Sit:

Coby Fleener- The Andrew Luck and Coby Fleener experiment in Indianapolis has not been what fantasy owners had hoped so far this season. Fleener currently has just 29 receptions for 332 yards and three touchdowns through nine games this season. Unfortunately for Fleener owners, the Titans possess the league’s eighth best pass defense. Sit Coby Fleener against the Titans unless you do not have any other tight end options.

Nate Washington- Tennessee Titans fans must be concerned after hearing that starting quarterback Jack Locker suffered a season ending foot injury, leaving Ryan Fitzpatrick to start the rest of the season. This also spells bad news for Nate Washington owners who have seen his production slide in recent weeks. Expect Fitzpatrick to target wide receiver Kendall Wright much more against the Colts and bench Nate Washington.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit and Start Report

Tight end Martellus Bennet should enjoy a big day against the Lions

Week 10 is here and it is time to put those final touches on your fantasy lineups. There are plenty of good fantasy matchups this week, so be sure to take advantage of them.

Start:

Martellus Bennett- The Chicago Bears will host the Detroit Lions in Week 10. Luckily for Bears receivers, quarterback Jay Cutler is back in the starting lineup after missing time due to a groin injury. The Lions pass defense is ranked 26th in the league, allowing an average of 272.5 yards per game. Expect Bears tight end Martellus Bennett with 36 receptions, 392 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season to be a hot commodity in the passing game as Cutler looks to get his feet back under himself.

Chris Johnson- Every week fantasy owners should look to see who is playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. This week it is the Tennessee Titans and Chris Johnson owners should be locking him into a starting position. Johnson is coming off his first game of a 100 rushing yards or more and should be expected to produce similar numbers in Week 10.

Sit:

Ryan Matthews- The Denver Broncos rush defense got a huge boost two weeks ago when Von Miller returned from his six game suspension. While this is great news for Broncos fans, Ryan Matthews owners should seriously think before throwing him into a starting role in Week 10. The Broncos rush defense has ranked at the top of the league for most of the season and it only gets better with Miller’s return. Keep Matthews on the bench in Week 10.

Larry Fitzgerald- While Arizona Cardinals standout receiver Larry Fitzgerald is quietly putting together a decent fantasy season, his Week 10 matchup is less than favorable. L-Fitz and the Cardinals will be taking on the NFL’s top ranked pass defense in the Houston Texans. If you have other receivers available this week, let Fitzgerald ride the bench against the Texans.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit and Start Report

Tight end Martellus Bennet should enjoy a big day against the Lions

Week 10 is here and it is time to put those final touches on your fantasy lineups. There are plenty of good fantasy matchups this week, so be sure to take advantage of them.

Start:

Martellus Bennett- The Chicago Bears will host the Detroit Lions in Week 10. Luckily for Bears receivers, quarterback Jay Cutler is back in the starting lineup after missing time due to a groin injury. The Lions pass defense is ranked 26th in the league, allowing an average of 272.5 yards per game. Expect Bears tight end Martellus Bennett with 36 receptions, 392 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season to be a hot commodity in the passing game as Cutler looks to get his feet back under himself.

Chris Johnson- Every week fantasy owners should look to see who is playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. This week it is the Tennessee Titans and Chris Johnson owners should be locking him into a starting position. Johnson is coming off his first game of a 100 rushing yards or more and should be expected to produce similar numbers in Week 10.

Sit:

Ryan Matthews- The Denver Broncos rush defense got a huge boost two weeks ago when Von Miller returned from his six game suspension. While this is great news for Broncos fans, Ryan Matthews owners should seriously think before throwing him into a starting role in Week 10. The Broncos rush defense has ranked at the top of the league for most of the season and it only gets better with Miller’s return. Keep Matthews on the bench in Week 10.

Larry Fitzgerald- While Arizona Cardinals standout receiver Larry Fitzgerald is quietly putting together a decent fantasy season, his Week 10 matchup is less than favorable. L-Fitz and the Cardinals will be taking on the NFL’s top ranked pass defense in the Houston Texans. If you have other receivers available this week, let Fitzgerald ride the bench against the Texans.

Jake Locker Back in Action for Week 7

Titans quarterback Jake Locker is back in action this week against the San Francisco 49ers. Locker has been out since Week 4 with a hip injury and baring any setbacks,  he should be able to play. Locker was actually having a good season until he got injured. Now during his first week back, he has to go up against a tough 49ers pass defense.

The 49ers defense is ranked 6th best against quarterbacks and that’s not going to bode well for Locker. They are also very good at stopping the run and with Chris Johnson playing terribly, he will not be able to help. To make matters worse the 49ers defense is ranked 10th against opposing wide receivers and the Titans do not exactly have outstanding wide outs.

This matchup is not a good one for Locker and the Titans offense. The only hope Locker has at having a productive fantasy day is by picking up some garbage points if they are down in the game. The running game has been terrible with Chris Johnson and Locker is coming off of an injury. Fantasy owners should look elsewhere because you can do better than Jake Locker against the 49ers during Week 7.

Jake Locker Back in Action for Week 7

Titans quarterback Jake Locker is back in action this week against the San Francisco 49ers. Locker has been out since Week 4 with a hip injury and baring any setbacks,  he should be able to play. Locker was actually having a good season until he got injured. Now during his first week back, he has to go up against a tough 49ers pass defense.

The 49ers defense is ranked 6th best against quarterbacks and that’s not going to bode well for Locker. They are also very good at stopping the run and with Chris Johnson playing terribly, he will not be able to help. To make matters worse the 49ers defense is ranked 10th against opposing wide receivers and the Titans do not exactly have outstanding wide outs.

This matchup is not a good one for Locker and the Titans offense. The only hope Locker has at having a productive fantasy day is by picking up some garbage points if they are down in the game. The running game has been terrible with Chris Johnson and Locker is coming off of an injury. Fantasy owners should look elsewhere because you can do better than Jake Locker against the 49ers during Week 7.

Bench These Running Backs During Week 7

Through 6 games, Chris Johnson has 327 lousy yards

It’s time to stop waiting around for that player you had a hunch about to break out for a 20 point week. It’s time to play with your head, not your heart. With that in mind, here are a few running backs that should be riding the bench when you double (and triple) check your lineup this weekend.

Chris Johnson: Despite Johnson being first on the sit list for Week 7, this is not a condemnation of him for the rest of the season. The Titans schedule clears up quite a bit after Week 8 when Tennessee faces the Rams, Jaguars and Raiders in weeks 9, 10 and 12 (and the Colts in Week 11).

However, Johnson is likely to get shut down during Week 7 when the 49ers come to town. The 28 year old running back is off to another slow start in 2013 and only has one touchdown this season. Johnson has only 37 carries in the last three weeks and has also failed to break off a run of over 8 yards in that time.

In Johnson’s defense, these last 3 weeks have been tough for Titans after tussles with the Jets, Chiefs and Seahawks. As we said, Johnson’s best chance to turn things around won’t come until Week 8.

Le’Veon Bell: The NFL can be a tough place for a rookie running back and the Baltimore Ravens will surely be looking to prove that this week when they face Le’Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eddie Lacy was able to muscle his way through the notorious Ravens defense last week, picking up 120 yards, but he was the first rusher all season long to break the 100-yard mark against Baltimore.

To make matters worse for Bell, the Bills Fred Jackson is the only running back to score against the Ravens this year. Bell is coming off a tough Week 6 against the Jets, when he ran for just 34 yards on 16 carries. Mike Tomlin has been pleased with the 21-year-old out of Michigan State, but he’s likely to get an NFL reality check during this tough Week 7 matchup.

Stevan Ridley: The New England Patriots running back shocked the fantasy world last week when he ran for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Saints. However, that flash in the pan doesn’t mean you should count on Ridley this week against a hard-hitting New York Jets. The Jets are giving up less than 76 yards a game to opposing running backs.

Last week’s breakout game was the first time Ridley rushed for more than 53 yards in a game and also was the first time he scored. Unless Ridley and the Patriots have developed some new formula to break through the Jets defensive line, you should let Ridley ride the pine for Week 7.

Bench These Running Backs During Week 7

Through 6 games, Chris Johnson has 327 lousy yards

It’s time to stop waiting around for that player you had a hunch about to break out for a 20 point week. It’s time to play with your head, not your heart. With that in mind, here are a few running backs that should be riding the bench when you double (and triple) check your lineup this weekend.

Chris Johnson: Despite Johnson being first on the sit list for Week 7, this is not a condemnation of him for the rest of the season. The Titans schedule clears up quite a bit after Week 8 when Tennessee faces the Rams, Jaguars and Raiders in weeks 9, 10 and 12 (and the Colts in Week 11).

However, Johnson is likely to get shut down during Week 7 when the 49ers come to town. The 28 year old running back is off to another slow start in 2013 and only has one touchdown this season. Johnson has only 37 carries in the last three weeks and has also failed to break off a run of over 8 yards in that time.

In Johnson’s defense, these last 3 weeks have been tough for Titans after tussles with the Jets, Chiefs and Seahawks. As we said, Johnson’s best chance to turn things around won’t come until Week 8.

Le’Veon Bell: The NFL can be a tough place for a rookie running back and the Baltimore Ravens will surely be looking to prove that this week when they face Le’Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eddie Lacy was able to muscle his way through the notorious Ravens defense last week, picking up 120 yards, but he was the first rusher all season long to break the 100-yard mark against Baltimore.

To make matters worse for Bell, the Bills Fred Jackson is the only running back to score against the Ravens this year. Bell is coming off a tough Week 6 against the Jets, when he ran for just 34 yards on 16 carries. Mike Tomlin has been pleased with the 21-year-old out of Michigan State, but he’s likely to get an NFL reality check during this tough Week 7 matchup.

Stevan Ridley: The New England Patriots running back shocked the fantasy world last week when he ran for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Saints. However, that flash in the pan doesn’t mean you should count on Ridley this week against a hard-hitting New York Jets. The Jets are giving up less than 76 yards a game to opposing running backs.

Last week’s breakout game was the first time Ridley rushed for more than 53 yards in a game and also was the first time he scored. Unless Ridley and the Patriots have developed some new formula to break through the Jets defensive line, you should let Ridley ride the pine for Week 7.

Bench These Week 6 Running Backs

Thomas will likely struggle against the Patriots

Chris Johnson: The Tennessee Titans running back was able to salvage some fantasy value in Week 5, but don’t let that cover up his miserable overall performance. Somehow,  Johnson scored on a 49 yard touchdown reception, but struggled rushing the ball all game. He rushed for 17 yards on 10 attempts.

This season, Johnson is averaging just over 3 yards per carry, and has only found the end zone one time. He also has failed to break 100 yards on the ground all season. To make matters worse, it isn’t likely that Johnson’s first great rushing game of the season will come in Week 6 against Seattle. The Seahawks are giving up an average of 12.6 Fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. So, despite coming off his first double digit fantasy week of 2013, it doesn’t look like Week 6 is Chris Johnson’s time to shine.

Maurice Jones Drew: The Jaguars are facing the Broncos, who give up a decent amount of fantasy points to running backs, but this matchup actually does not appear fruitful for MJD. Running backs are scoring an average of 19.6 fantasy points per week against the Broncos, but are also only averaging 51 yards rushing. What’s happening is, running backs are scoring off receptions.

However, Jones Drew hasn’t been much of a receiving back this year, bringing in only 6 catches so far. Another factor going against Maurice Jones Drew in Week 6 is the Broncos offense. If Denver jumps out to an early lead, Jacksonville will have to throw the ball to catch up. All things considered, it doesn’t seem like the Jaguars and MJD, are going to break the mold and have a great day on the ground against Denver.

Pierre Thomas: The New Orleans Saints running back had a nice little Week 5 against the Bears, but isn’t likely to see the same star production in Week 6. Last week, Thomas ran for 36 yards off 19 carries and added nine catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns. This was a spike in production for Thomas who had only combined for 16 fantasy points prior to this rout against the Bears.

However, this success was contingent on Chicago shutting down Darren Sproles, who was essentially a non-factor in Week 6. A shut down like this is unlikely to occur two weeks in a row and we will probably see less Pierre Thomas and more Darren Sproles against the Patriots. Thomas made some noise in Week 5, but still hasn’t solidified himself as a main back for New Orleans, and will probably spend less time in the spotlight in Week 6.