Week 15 START/BENCH players GURU Style!

We know this is a critical playoff week for nearly every league, so we will do our best to tell you who to bench or start. We did nt include any players from the Thursday Denver at Houston game since we already blogged on who to start/bench in that game.

(Sleepers will not appear in this blog. If you do not see a player, read our sleeper blog for this week.)

QUARTERBACKS
1st Tier Quarterbacks MUST Start:

Drew Brees

Carson Palmer

Brett Farve

Peyton Manning

Matt Hasslebeck

Tony Romo

Kurt Warner

2nd Tier Quarterbacks You have to Start:

Derek Anderson

Trent Edwards

Philip Rivers

Ben Roethlisberger

Jeff Garcia

Donovan McNabb

3rd Tier Quarterbacks Start At Your Own Risk (Big Payoff or Big Fall):

Tom Brady - He'll put up some yard and completetions, but with the weather beingfreezing rain and 30 mph winds, he might not do very well. Still a must start if you have no other choice.

Kyle Orton - He has some skills and is at home against a defense he can pass on. Probably not worth the risk in the playoffs.

Marc Bulger - He's coming off a concussion playing Green Bay's monster defense. He is at home, but I would bench him.

4th Tier Quarterbacks MUST BENCH:

THE Raiders QB - Mcknown

John Beck/Cleo Lemon

Trent Edwards

Chris Redman

Kellen Clemens

Todd Collins

Vinny Testaverde

Damon Huard

Vince Young

Eli Manning
David Garrard
Jon Kitna

RUNNINGBACKS
1st Tier Runningbacks MUST Start: .
Willie Parker

Ryan Grant

Marion Barber
Willis McGahee

Brian Westbrook

Joseph Addai

Jamal Lewis

Ernest Graham

LaDainian Tomlinson

2nd Tier Runningbacks You have to Start:

Shaun Alexander

Marshawn Lynch

Stephen Jackson

Frank Gore

Aaron Stecker

Laurence Maroney

Maurice Jones-Drew

Justin Fargas

Clinton Portis

Lendal White

3rd Tier Runningbacks Start At Your Own Risk(Big Payoff or Big Fall):

Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) After putting up 4 yards last week he still may be hurt, and too much of a risk in the playoffs.

Edgerrin James - This guy is a risk always, its just a fact. Bench him.

Chester Taylor - He as potential if Adrian doesn't run. Keep a watch out.

4th Tier Runningbacks MUST BENCH:
Jessie Chatman/Samkon Gado

Kevin Faulk

Warrick Dunn

Rudi Johnson

Adrian Peterson (Chicago)

Kolby Smith

Julius Jones

DeShaun Foster

WIDE RECEIVERS
1st Tier Wide Receivers MUST Start:

Hines Ward

Terrell Owens
Lee Evans

Deion Branch

Joey Galloway

Larry Fitzgerald

Plaxico Burress

Wes Welker

Marques Colston

Braylon Edwards

Chad Johnson

2nd Tier Wide Receivers You have to Start:

Santonio Holmes

Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Donald Driver

T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Greg Jennings

Bobby Engram

Derrick Mason

Deion Branch

Patrick Crayton

Shaun McDonald

Santana Moss

Amani Toomer

Chris Chambers

Benard Berrian

Dwayne Bowe

Anthony Gonzalez

Joe Jurevicius

3rd Tier Wide Receivers Start At Your Own Risk(Big Payoff or Big Fall):

Anquin Boldin - He's hurt and playing in a bad place with possible bad weather.

Isaac Bruce - He can still play well, but Bulger may be on his back most of the day.

Justin Gage - He has the potenial to have a nice game, but he depends on Vince Young right now and that is scary.

Muhsin Muhammad - He has the chance to have a big game, but with Kyle Orton throwing it could be another miss. BIG RISK.

4th Tier Wide Receivers MUST BENCH:

Steve Smith

Donte Stallworth

Roydel Williams

Ronald Curry

Calvin Johnson

Roddy White
Randy Moss

Marty Booker

David Patten

Antwaan Randle El

Jerry Porter

Vincent Jackson

TIGHT ENDS
1st Tier Tight Ends MUST Start:

Chris Cooley

Jason Whitten

Antonio Gates

Dallas Clark

Donald Lee

Kevin Winslow

2nd Tier Tight Ends You have to Start:

Tony Gonzalez

Benjamin Watson

Heath Miller

Desmond Clark

Jeremy Shockey

Vernon Davis

3rd Tier Tight Ends Start At Your Own Risk(Big Payoff or Big Fall):

NONE

4th Tier Tight Ends MUST BENCH:

Bo Scaife

Marcedes Lewis

Alge Crumpler

LJ Smith

Chris Baker

DEFENSES

1st Tier Defenses MUST Start:

Tampa Bay

Green Bay

Seattle

Pittsburgh

Washington

Baltimore

New England

Indianapolis

2nd Tier Defenses You have to Start:

Tennessee

Dallas

San Diego

NY Giants

Jacksonville

Cincinnati

Minnesota

3rd Tier Defenses Start At Your Own Risk:

Detroit - If they can get to Rivers it could be a good game. They will also have to contain LT somewhat. Its possible, but the odds aren't that good.

Jacksonville - Shroud will probably not play, and Pittsburgh will be at home fighting for a win. Its a risky start.

4th Tier Defenses MUST BENCH:

San Francisco

NY Jets

New Orleans

Atlanta

St Louis

Buffalo

Philadelphia

Kansas City

Detroit

Oakland

Arizona

Miami

Carolina

Cleveland

We are no longer going to do kickers. They are way to hard to predict. and most teams only have one anyway. If you need to find a kicker cause of a BYE week base your decisions on 3 factors:
1. Is the kicker kicking in a Dome? (that's good)

2. Is the Defense the kicker facing a tough defense?
3. Is the kicker's offense very good?

Watch for our sleepers coming next!

Listen at 6:30 pm PST every Wendsday on Blogtalkradio.com for the Fantasy Football GURU Show with AJ Pelletier, Mike Bowser, RC, and weekly guests. This Wednsday we will be discussing a overview of last weeks games, give you advice on who to start THIS week, and go over rumors and injuries. As always we will discuss our weekly sleeper picks. Join us! Call in for questions at (646) 716-9203 or email us at guru@fantasyfootballsearch.com . To logon to our radio show or listen to a replay of the show goto The Fantasy Football Guru Show!. Click on the Click to Listen button and you are all set