Starts and Sits can always be a tricky thing each week. It can confuse you into not looking deeper into the situation. This week Joe Flacco looks like a good start while Jay Cutler looks like a bad one, but after looking into it further, New England hasn’t faced any good QBs and Cincinnati has faced a lot of tough ones. So I really dove into the predictions for this week. As I always say each week, if you have to make a decision regarding a player that isn’t below, you can just tweet me @pacman453323. So with that being said, let’s get into the Week 8 Starts and Sits.
Starts: (outside of top 10 players of that position):
QBs
Carson Palmer – Eagles have been turnover heavy, so there is a slight risk here, but Palmer only has 1 INT this year and when they have been forced to play consistent defense, the Eagles have folded. Palmer has a great 2nd half schedule and it begins this week. Philadelphia has given up the 5th most points to QBs this year.
Alex Smith – Speaking of great matchups, the Rams have given up the 2nd most points to QBs in the league. Smith has had a couple flashes, but that was back in week 3 and week 4. This is his chance to break out on a week where you may have a QB on a bye. I expect the Chiefs to handle the Rams pretty easy this weekend.
RBs
Lamar Miller – I’ve been telling people for almost two years that once the Dolphins smarten up and let Miller get consistent usage, he can put up solid consistent numbers. His yardage totals may not b eout of this world, but he’s averaging 4.8 yards per carry and already has 17 receptions to go along with 5 total TDs. He has to hold onto the football, but he’s in a fine situation right now.
Jerick McKinnon – After proving me wrong last week by putting up 103 yards on 19 carries, McKinnon now faces a Buccaneer defense that is 2nd worst in the league against RBs. His superior athleticism to Matt Asiata is keeping him on the bench. As much as the Vikings want to take it slow, unleashing their Bridgewater-McKinnon future backfield combo maybe too much to contain.
WRs
Michael Floyd – The happiest man in the building to see Carson Palmer was Michael Floyd. After having a 19 yard game and a 7 yard game, Floyd has a TD in back to back games with Palmer starting, and this was against good defenses. Now he faces a Philadelphia defense that has been susceptible to the pass. Floyd may get behind the defense to score for his 3rd straight week.
Eric Decker – Most people would think that with the addition of Percy Harvin, Decker would be a downgrade. I think of it the opposite way, that with Harvin now drawing a lot of attention, Decker will get more one on one opportunities. Keep in mind that Decker had great WRs around him in Denver and still put up numbers. If healthy, he could have a very nice 2nd half.
TEs
Jordan Reed – The one thing that Dallas has had trouble against this year is TEs. They have given up the 2nd most points to TEs than anyone. Jordan Reed is showing flashes of why people thought he would be a top 5-6 TE this year. He should approach the 80 yard mark and could get a TD thrown in there. Start him with confidence.
Sits:
QBs
Matt Ryan – I’m one of the few people that have thought Matt Ryan was overrated even before he was drafted. I felt he was looked at as a top 5-6 QB because of how talented the weapons were around him. Now with Tony Gonzalez gone and Roddy White slowing down, Ryan is throwing too many INTs, not as consistent, and most importantly, not coming up big when it matters.
Ben Roethlisberger – Usually whenever I put Big Ben on the “Sit” list, he usually puts up a big game to shut me up. Well, he’s going to have to prove it to me again. The Colts are the 2nd best team in the league against QBs and I expect them to try to double Antonio Brown and make any of the other options beat them.
RBs
Alfred Morris – I love Alf as a RB, but he doesn’t fit this offense. The Redskins want to pass the ball more and because they are down a lot, it takes what little amount of running they want to do, out the playbook. The Cowboys are the hottest team in the league and with Colt McCoy starting, they will surely make him be the one to beat them, not Morris.
Chris Ivory – Believe it or not, the Buffalo Bills are the stingiest defense in the league against RBs. Even though Ivory is a tough runner and clearly ahead of Chris Johnson, I don’t expect him to have much open space against the Bills. He may give you a tough, workers man, type of game, but don’t expect a repeat of last week’s 100+ yards and a TD, type of game.
WRs
Roddy White – It’s sad to see how far Roddy White has fallen. His great game last week was more of the exception rather than the rule. His age and injuries seem to be catching up to him. The Lions have arguably been the best defense in football overall, much less being a top defense against RBs. Don’t fall into the trap of last week’s good game.
Steve Smith Sr. – I’ve been pretty good at being able to predict Smith’s good and bad games. He rips apart bad defenses and is average or bad against good ones. This week, we see the “bad” Smith. The Bengals give up the 5th fewest points to WRs and after getting their clocks cleaned by Andrew Luck and the Colts, they will be looking for someone to take the frustration out on.
TEs
Delanie Walker – The problem with Walker is not Walker himself, it’s the QB situation that has brought him, Justin Hunter, and Kendall Wright down from reaching their potential this year. Locker maybe back this week, but even if he is, they play a Houston defense that is led by arguably the best non-QB player in the league, JJ Watt, the man I call MegaWatt.
Those are your Week 8 Starts and Sits in the NFL. Enjoy the games.
