Happy Holidays! With no byes and few injuries, most fantasy teams will have a simple Quarterback decision in front of them, and few will look to the waiver wire this late in the year. As the regular season winds down, you’ve just got to hope that your top guys play like top guys. If you have any roster questions, please comment!
Here are the players you should be thankful for in Week 12:
| START ‘EM | |
| Mark Sanchez vs. CIN
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While leading his team to three consecutive victories, Sanchez has averaged over 300 yards and two touchdowns. While the opponents have been anything but tough, the recent performance is a preview of Sanchez’s possible potential.
I often like Quarterbacks playing at home on Thursdays, and Sanchez is no exception. The Bengals just suffered a demoralizing loss to the Bills and won’t be able to bounce back fast enough to slow the Jets. Cincy suffocated Sanchize last year, but they are different and much more mediocre defense this season. Set your lineup early and start Mark Sanchez this week. |
| Shaun Hill vs. NE | Shaun Hill is another Turkeyday QB I like. He is averaging over 300 yards in his most recent stint as starter and has been throwing nearly 50 passes in each of the last two games. Thursday, he will use his big receivers to take advantage of a young, bad and tired pass defense. |
| Matt Cassel @ SEA
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Although he didn’t pile up many yards on relatively few passes, Cassel found the endzone twice Sunday and had a solid fantasy game. He should improve on that performance this week as the Chiefs travel to Seattle. The Seahawks are giving up the third most passing yards and Cassel was successful against them in his only previous matchup. |
| Eli Manning vs. JAC | Manning is now the victim of a depleted receiving corps, but don’t panic…too much. Eli is now an experienced vet and I have little doubt that he’ll be able to produce with whoever is on the field with him. Manning will also benefit from a weak Jaguars pass defense that is giving up the fifth most passing yards. Don’t go overboard trying to find a replacement for Eli; he’s still a viable starter in most leagues. |
| Troy Smith @ ARI | Troy Smith had an unproductive game last week against Tampa Bay, and I’m still not crazy about him as a fantasy savior. However, if he is going to help your team, it would be this week against Arizona. The Cardinals aren’t stopping opposing air attacks and Smith may take advantage on them for a solid game. Consider him as a fill-in option. |
And here is who to sit in Week 12:
| SIT ‘EM | |
| Michael Vick @ CHI
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Real-life and Fantasy fans alive have gone mad (again) for Michael Vick, but let’s take a step back. The Giants slowed Vick last week and you’ve got to expect that the Bears will watch and learn from the game, as well as the debacle that was the Redskins-Eagles monday night matchup. Also, the weather will continue to slow Vick, whose numbers decrease in December as well as in colder weather.
The Bears are giving up the fewest passing touchdowns as well as the fewest points overall, making them a tough matchup for an Eagles team going on the road. Moreover, Chicago has had extra time for rest and preparation leading up to the game. Vick is still very startable, but he’s no fantasy god. |
| Jon Kitna vs. NO
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Jon Kitna is a rare exception as a Quarterback playing on Thursday that I advise sitting. For one, the Saints had an easy time Sunday, meaning that they won’t have as hard of a time recovering quickly. Also, fewer days of preparation will hurt an offense still adjusting to a new coach and all that comes with the change. New Orleans has given up the second fewest passing yards and second fewest passing touchdowns. While Kitna has scored thrice in each of his previous two games, he won’t succeed Thursday. |
| David Garrard @ NYG | Garrard had a third-straight 250-yard, two-touchdown game last week and is starting to solidify himself as a solid starter on a Jaguars team that now leads the AFC South. That said, sit him this week. Jacksonville has to travel to New York and Garrard will have to face a hostile environment in addition to a Giants defense that has given up the third fewest passing yards. |
| Jay Cutler vs. PHI | The Eagles aren’t a premiere pass defense, but they do lead the league in interceptions, a well-known weakness of Jay Cutler. Cutler has been wildly inconsistent over the last handful of weeks and this week’s matchup is difficult to predict. If you have other options, safer options, strongly consider them. |
| Josh Freeman @ BAL | When it comes to consistency, Josh Freeman is the opposite of Cutler. Last week was only the second time he dipped under 180 passing yards, and Freeman has yet to top 280. While he didn’t meet his yardage mark, Freeman did throw two touchdowns for the third straight week. This week, he’s likely to be on the low-end of his performance scale as the Bucs travel to Baltimore. The Ravens are a top 10 defense and Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are ready to prey on another young QB. |
