Week 10: Sit 'Em
In Week 10 I have three quarterbacks, one running back, one wide out, one tight end and a defense to avoid.
The following players would make good "Sit 'em" selections as their projected points are at least 10% down from their average: Donovan McNabb faces a tough San Diego defense that is on a role with 5 sacks over their past few games. Philadelphia will likely try to grind the ball on the ground with McCoy and the return of Westbrook post concussion. Carson Palmer makes the list again this week. After throwing 5 touchdowns against Chicago, he threw one last week versus Baltimore and will likely see another slower outing this week. Benson will likely struggle on the ground as well, given the fact that the Pittsburgh defense is giving up less than 80 yards to running backs. The Pittsburgh win and dominance over Denver was impressive this past Monday. Tony Romo and Dallas have been on a roll lately. This week they face off against a solid Green Bay defense that is holding passers to limited yardage -- less than 190 passing yards per game. Look for Dallas to try to get the ground game working well and take some pressure off Romo. Green Bay will pressure them and I see a turnover or two in Romo's future. Buckhalter has Moreno to compete with for carries, but neither back is at the top of my list. The Denver running game is invisible compared to any Denver ground attack of years past. Look for this trend to continue until something changes drastically in the Denver offense; Orton and Marshall can carry the offense in Denver for only so long. What will McDaniels do? John Carlson will face an Arizona team that severely limited Seattle in the two teams' last match-up. Look for Carlson to be used for coverage and his production to be limited on offense. Hasselbeck will struggle again this week and Carlson unfortunately will suffer in terms of his production. The San Francisco versus Chicago match-up this week could turn into a shootout. This does not bode well for either defense. I figure that Cutler, Forte and the Chicago offense will win this battle. Look for San Francisco to pressure Cutler, but he will find the time he needs to make them pay. Forte will provide power on the ground.
QB Donovan McNabb, ---
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Donovan McNabb will face a tough San Diego defense this week. The surging Chargers will seek to continue their hot streak of sacks. McNabb will be under pressure and I foresee an interception. McNabb has been averaging just over 18 fantasy points per week and is expected to have Brian Westbrook back this week post concussion. The best way to attack San Diego has been on the ground. The return of Westbrook and the solid play of McCoy will open the ground game and help take some pressure off of the air attack. This will likely mean less focus on the passing game (if at all possible) with San Diego's solid secondary. In his career, McNabb has thrown 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions against San Diego. If you have another option at quarterback, I would explore it. Overall San Diego has been allowing 180 yards per game passing.
QB Carson Palmer, ---
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The Pittsburgh defense has shown their value this season. Their complete shut down of the Denver offense this past Monday was impressive. In Week 10, Carson Palmer will head into town and try to crack this solid front and secondary. The pressure that the Pittsburgh defense can bring is extraordinary. Palmer has been averaging nearly 19 points per week. In Week 10, he is ranked as the 13th best option for quarterback and is anticipated to have around 15 fantasy points. I foresee Pittsburgh forcing Palmer into errors -- meaning turnovers. This game will be a Pittsburgh win and the Cincinnati offense will struggle.
QB Tony Romo, ---
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The Green Bay defense has been allowing 3.5 yards per carry and only 186 yards per game passing this season. Tony Romo should have the time to operate his offense as planned, but it is essential that he concentrate on avoiding errors if he wants the Dallas winning streak to continue. Green Bay has talented pass defenders and can force turnovers. Miles Austin's production has decreased over the past few games, and this impacts Romo and his confidence. Romo has been averaging over 20 fantasy points per week, but this week I anticipate more like 15 points. Use Romo in your line-up at your own risk.
RB Correll Buckhalter, ---
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Correll Buckhalter and Denver head to Washington this week after their home loss to Pittsburgh Monday night. With Knowshon Moreno struggling and the Denver running game hurting in general, Correll Buckhalter might look like a viable option at running back; I disagree. He is only averaging 8 fantasy points per week and is only projected to score 6 points in Week 10. Denver needs to jump start the running game, but it appears that no one knows how to get this accomplished. I look forward to seeing how McDaniels sparks this aspect of his offense, but until then, the Denver running backs are sit'ems.
WR Derrick Mason, ---
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Derrick Mason has been averaging nearly 9 fantasy points per week this season. This week versus Cleveland should be an easy outing for Flacco and his offense, but the focus will likely be on the ground game. Cleveland is giving up almost 5 yards per carry and a combination of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee will shred this defense. This is the main reason why Mason will likely be less productive this week. Look for him to score 5-7 fantasy points this week.
