Let's take this moment to pat ourselves on the back. And if you followed our advice, you should do the same. Because who else you know made such a bold call like starting both Patriots tight ends? Or recommended that you sit Titans running back Chris Johnson? Simple, no one. So, with another week of NFL action upon us, we are back again to offer you some assistance when it comes to filling out your roster, as well as telling you which star wide receiver you should not start this Sunday in Start Or Sit? Complex Sports Fantasy Football Tips (Week 3).
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots (1:00 ET)
START: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR David Nelson, TE Rob Gronkowski
SIT: NE Defense, BUF Defense
This game looks like it’s going to be a high-scoring affair. After all, you know who leads the league in scoring, right? The answer is the…Buffalo Bills. We bet you didn’t see that one coming. In fact, the Bills are averaging 39.5 points per game. Can Buffaloput up that many points against the Patriots in New England?Absolutely! Right after the Pats score their 50th point of the game, of course.
With Fitzpatrick looking to fling the ball all game long, we see the main beneficiary being WR David Nelson, not Stevie Johnson. Now we’re not saying you shouldn’t start Stevie, we’re just trying to tell you that New England’s best cornerback Devin McCourty will be keeping Buffalo’s star receiver in check for most of the game.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Carolina Panthers (1:00 ET)
START: QB Cam Newton, WR Steve Smith
SIT: RB DeAngelo Williams
We are officially believers. However, we’re not about to say that you make him your every day starter. But against a middle-of-the-pack defense like the Jaguars, there’s no harm in giving Cam a start at your QB spot. Some people may still be a little worried about starting Newton, but why don’t we throw out a name we can all agree on: Carolina’s Steve Smith. After putting up 178 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 1, Smith continued his hot streak with a 156 yard performance. There is no acceptable reason for not starting him at this point.
While we are on the topic of acceptable reasons for not starting someone, let’s talk about DeAngelo Williams. For a player who is seen as a RB1 option, he has looked awful. With only six total points in the first two games of the season, DeAngelo is facing the Jaguars who give up, on average, 72 rushing yards a game. Ouch! After you factor in the timeshare situation with Jonathan Stewart, you can’t help but expect more pitiful numbers from Williams.
San Francisco 49ers @ Cincinnati Bengals (1:00 ET)
START: QB Andy Dalton, RB Frank Gore
SIT: RB Cedric Benson
This suggestion comes with a disclaimer: If you have any uncertainty at your quarterback position, you could do a lot worse than Andy Dalton. The San Francisco passing defense has given up the 8th most passing yards. Did you see how they couldn’t stop Tony Romo and his infamous punctured lung? A much healthier Dalton should prove a good spot start.
But did you also see how they absolutely shut down the Dallas running game? It makes sense when you see that the 49ers give up the least rushing yards per game in the NFL (54.5). So if you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck before Cedric Benson hits that three-game suspension, we suggest you look elsewhere.
Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns (1:00 ET)
START: RB Daniel Thomas, QB Colt McCoy
SIT: QB Chad Henne
All it took was one week for Reggie Bush to fall behind Daniel Thomas on the depth chart. And with the Dolphins facing the Browns and their poor run defense, Thomas should be in line for another great game. On the flip side, Cleveland’s pass defense is the second best in the league, so Chad Henne doesn’t look like a great start option this week.
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (1:00 ET)
START: DET Defense
SIT: WR Percy Harvin
This Detroit Lions offense is clicking on all cylinders. With Detroit visiting the Minnesota Vikings this weekend, we should see more of the same from Matthew Stafford & Co. As for the Vikings offense, is there anyone you can really trust? Probably not. And it’s a pretty simple philosophy, as long as McNabb is their quarterback, Harvin is going to struggle to put up reputable numbers. At this point, Brett Favre would be a better option at QB.
Houston Texans @ New Orleans Saints (1:00 ET)
START: RB Ben Tate
SIT: WR Devery Henderson, HOU Defense
So far this season, the Texans defense has been surprisingly effective. But with Houston stepping into the Superdome to face Drew Brees and that impressive Saints offense, all of that should change. And while we’re on the topic of the New Orleans offense, let’s set one thing straight: owning Devery Henderson is like being in a relationship. One week everything can be going right, and then all of sudden, things turn horribly wrong. Last week, Henderson had 103 receiving yards and a touchdown, which is pretty impressive stuff. However, one of his three receptions was a 79 yard haul to the endzone. If that one catch didn’t occur, Devery would be sitting on two catches for 24 yards. How good does that sound?
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles (1:00 ET)
START: QB Michael Vick, WR DeSean Jackson, RB Ahmad Bradshaw, RB Brandon Jacobs
SIT: QB Eli Manning, WR Hakeem Nicks
It looks like Michael Vick is going to be on the field Sunday against the Giants and his fantasy owners could not be happier. How could you blame them? The last time Vick played the G-Men, dude passed for 242 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, while amassing 130 rushing yards and another touchdown. Now that’s one hell of a fantasy football game! But if we were to anticipate a fantasy game from hell, it may belong to Eli Manning and Hakeem Nicks. With Nnamdi Asomugha blanketing Nicks, we don’t foresee the Giants star receiver doing much for his fantasy owners.
Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans (1:00 ET)
START: RB Chris Johnson
SIT: QB Kyle Orton
Okay. This is where we expect to see some of the good ‘ol Johnson. Pause. C’mon people, Chris Johnson, of course. With the Titans going against a poor rush defense in the Broncos, CJ should be able to break off a couple of huge gains and restore some faith in his fantasy owners.
