Start/Sit

It's been a crazy fantasy season, huh? If you don't believe me, go to your waiver wire and see how many players are at the told of that list with the "IR" designation next to their name. Top-tier guys have been dropping like flies since the preseason (hopefully you drafted late and didn't suffer with choosing Jordy Nelson or Kelvin Benjamin).
Nobody's have turned into somebody's and 1st round draft picks have been a bust. But, hey, it's a season-long game for a reason, right? Strategy and waiver-wire pickups are critical. This column is dedicated to the questions I have either been asked personally or questions I have seen asked around on Twitter about people cautious about playing certain players:

Russell Wilson or Blake Bortles

Bortles currently ranks at the 10th best fantasy football QB in the NFL. Wilson sits at 16. Wilson has
one game where he has thrown for more than one touchdown. Bortles has six such games. Wilson has failed to throw for 300 yards in a game this year. Bortles has done it in three of his last four. I know what you're saying: "But Russell Wilson gets a lot of his points from running the ball." Well, Wilson has yet to score a rushing touchdown yet this year and he has only topped 50 rushing yards twice. Seattle runs the ball, plain and simple. I'm starting Bortles this week, and I'm starting him with confidence against the 31st ranked Baltimore defense.



TJ Yeldon, Jordan Matthews, or Willie Snead in the FLEX

This one is tough. Yeldon has the worst matchup, but even against tough run defenses, Yeldon has put up double-digit fantasy points.
I'm not entirely sold on Matthews because the 41-yard touchdown in overtime account for 10 of Matthews' 19 fantasy points. Without it, he would have put up nine points, which would have been his third best point total of the year.
Snead didn't practice Thursday which scares me, so I'm starting Yeldon this week, even though he faces the 10th ranked defense against the run in Baltimore.



Doug Martin, Tavon Austin, or Jordan Reed in the FLEX

Tavon Austin rushed the ball eight times last week, eight! He's a wide receiver! He's certainly seeing

an increase in touches since Todd Gurley came onto the scene, so his value is boom-or-bust. With Austin, you're going to get 20+ points or seven.
Jordan Reed is back and ready to face the worst pass defense in the league, the New Orleans Saints and he has three touchdowns in the last two games.
Martin plays the 31st ranked run defense, the Dallas Cowboys. Martin hasn't been nearly as good as he was for his three week stretch of being the 'Doug'ernaut, but if there ever was a week to return to form, it's against the Cowboys. He fumbled last week and was put into the doghouse for the rest of the first half, but I look for the Buccaneers to go run-heavy this game and hopefully that spells a near 20-touch game for Martin.



CJ Anderson, Willie Snead, or Dorial Green-Beckham

CJ Anderson's names being mentioned on this blog again?! Yes, he has returned. Well, his name that is. Anderson is nowhere near the form he was in last year. He has shown sparks, but that role will never be the same with the timeshare between he and Ronnie Hillman. Anderson faces the 9th ranked rushing defense in Kansas City, so I'm steering clear of any Broncos running back this week.
Green-Beckham has huge upside the rest of the season and is certainly worth a bench spot, but going against the 6th ranked Panthers defense doesn't bode well for the Titans.
As I mentioned before, Snead didn't practice Thursday, so his health needs to be monitored, but if he plays, plug him in. Snead is the favorite wide receiver of Drew Brees and that alone means quality fantasy production. I think Washington vs. New Orleans will be a shoot out, so I think Snead had high upside to score if he plays. If he's held out, I would play Green-Beckham and hope for the big play from the six-foot-five-inch receiver.