Fighting Chance Fantasy's Start/Sit Week 11

Quarterbacks

Start: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. Denver Broncos. This is not your usual rookie quarterback folks. This team won four games all last season, and they have already won more games than in 2007 and are in serious contention for a division title. Given the turmoil and distractions this team faced last year, owner Arthur Blank better be kneeling down and thanking God for this kid every night before he goes to sleep. The Broncos have proven week after week that their defense is what is stopping them from being serious contenders. They couldn’t stop Quinn and the Browns last week, and they won’t be able to stop Ryan, Roddy White and the Falcons in Week 11.

Start: Tyler Thigpen, Kansas City Chiefs vs. New Orleans Saints. OK, if your choice is Drew Brees or Tyler Thigpen, I’m still saying Drew Brees. But if you choice is let’s say someone like Eli Manning or Jake Delhomme, you might want to give this kid a look. I’ve been able to watch the Chiefs some the past couple of weeks (Thank God for DirecTV), and he actually has shown a good deal of ability, poise, and swagger. I’m not saying he’s Johnny Unitas or anything, but against a bad defense he certainly has the ability to put up some numbers. And he faces a bad Saints defense this week. Matt Ryan spent last week torching the Saints like he was at a pyromaniacs convention, and I expect Thigpen to throw two scores this week, one to Tony G, and the other to Mark Bradley or Dwayne Bowe.

Sit: David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans. Anyone who has been with me all season long knows I am not at all a fan of David Garrard. I think he is a decent (at best) real quarterback, and a below average fantasy QB. The guy has taken every snap for his team this year and has thrown eight touchdown passes, four of which came in two games. That means he has two in the other nine games his team has played. Yuck! He did get two last week which might make people think he is decent again, but please stay away from this guy. He will have you rooting for him to just throw one touchdown pass, and if he was to get two you should be dancing in the street. The Titans are bad news for Garrard and your fantasy team.

Sit: Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills. All the talk radio and the media had a field day second guessing putting Quinn in as the starter despite the short week of practice to face the Broncos. I hope they are all eating their words now, because even though the Cleveland defense got undressed by Jay Cutler, Quinn still had a very impressive debut. However, this week he won’t be facing a Broncos defense who had most of their defensive playmakers in street clothes watching the game. Granted, the Bills have underperformed this year, but they still have a good defense, and playing a game up in Buffalo on the road is usually no joke. I expect the Bills to come prepared for a Monday Night game, and for Quinn to throw for a max of 225 yards and one score.

Running Backs

Start: DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions. Everyone, including me, expected to see this guy riding the pine by this point of the season, but due to his own great play and ineffectiveness and injury to Johnathan Stewart, Williams has all of a sudden become a valuable fantasy back. For those of you who showed patience, or just happened to be lucky that someone cut ties with him early, be ready to get him into your lineups as the Panthers face the Lions. Do I need to say any more? Williams is 10th in the league in rushing, and should pad those stats against perhaps the worst defense ever put on the field. Look for another 100 yard game and a score.

Start: Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans. I know a lot of you are concerned about Addai’s health after he missed almost three full games and then has thrown up two total stinkers since he came back. But let’s take a closer look at things. He did face the Patriots and the Steelers, two teams in the top ten in defense against the run. So even if he was healthy he could have had these two poor games. This week he gets the Texans who are NO where near the top 10 in any defensive category. If Addai struggles again, then I will sound the alarm, but right now I feel pretty confident starting him in Week 11. He had 71 yards rushing and a touchdown in the first meeting against the Texans.

Sit: Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears. Grant has finally started to look like the guy that we all thought he would be coming into the season. His last four games have all been over 75 yards and he has scored twice. He rushed good against the tough Vikings run defense, but I don’t see it happening again against the Bears defense. Chicago allows only 75 yards a game, and look for Grant to run for less than that and not reach the end zone.

Sit: BenJarvis Green-Ellis, New England Patriots vs. New York Jets. Ok, so part of me just wanted to type out BenJarvis Green-Ellis. It is one of my favorite names of all time. When I think of great football names, BenJarvis comes right to the top of my head. But seriously, Green-Ellis has become a legitimate fantasy option due to the string of injuries to the Pats rushing attack. Well, this week they have a grudge match against the rival Jets. Unfortunately for BJGE the Jets are fifth best in the NFL against the rush, so unless you are at the point where you don’t have any other options, sit Green-Ellis this week.

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