We are just about the half way point for fantasy football regular season and time is running out to make the push for the playoffs. Starting the right guy is all the more important for fighting for a playoff spot, so make sure you start the right guys, and that starts by checking out my sit and start recommendations. If you are one of the owners dealing with under performs or injuries and you need help figuring out who to start, I am here to help. If the guy you are stressing over is not on this list feel free to hit me up at @mikekelleydlp with any additional sit/start questions you might have. Or you can join my Facebook Group, Dynasty League Problems and be a part of the conversation. Good luck this week to everyone, unless I am playing in one of my leagues.

NoHalftime START of the Week:

WR Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)

Whether it is Drew Stanton or Carson Palmer, Fitzgerald will get his, and this week it comes at the expense of the Jets secondary. I am not sure the Jets have covered anyone in the secondary yet this year. The Jets have made average receivers look great. I am not suggesting that Fitzgerald is average by any means either. He actually has been one of the best receivers this year averaging six receptions for 72 yards and one touchdown this season. Numbers he should easily match against the Jets on Monday night. Eight catches for over 100 yards and a touchdown should come easily for Fitzgerald on Monday night. Everyone needs to stop doubting him and just accept as long as he is playing he will be a WR1 in this league.

NoHalftime SIT of the Week:

QB Brock Osweiler (HOU)

Osweiler has a sweet match up against a Colts D that is not very good at all. Despite the match up I have Osweiler placed firmly in my sit category. Through five weeks he has been a huge disappointment to put it nicely. DeAndre Hopkins had managed to be productive with some of the worst starting quarterbacks imaginable last year, but some how Osweiler has managed to bring down Hopkins production this year. Until Osweiler manages to string together a few good games in a row, I do not see how he can be trusted. 250 yards and one touchdown I think is the best we can hope for out of Osweiler this weekend.

Quarterback

START Drew Brees (N.O.)

I think Brees has major anxiety problems when he leave New Orleans. In two games at home Brees has thrown for 799 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. In his two road games he has 470 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. That is a huge difference between home and road games. Since we are talking about quarterbacks to start here, I am sure you would assume the Saints are playing at home this week, and you would be correct. Plus they are playing against a Panthers D that has been anything but strong this season. I would not be surprised to see Brees top 350 yards and three touchdowns this week. Anytime I can start Brees at home I would.

Other STARTS:

• Ben Roethlisberger (PIT)
• Alex Smith (K.C.)
• Brian Hoyer (CHI)

SIT Player Name (Team)

This spot is normally reserved for whichever quarterback is playing the Bronco’s, but I though I would mix things up this week. Let it be noted that Rivers is still on the sit list though. Eli was a popular sleeper QB1 pick this year, and with good reason. He has one of the best wide receivers in the NFL at his disposal. Victor Cruz was coming back, their top rookie prospect in Sterling Shepard was looking really good. So why not be optimistic about the season? He started the year with a good game against the Cowboys but has pretty much gone down every week since.  In fairness the last two weeks were against the Vikings and the Packers, two teams with good to great defenses, but things are not much better this week with the Ravens coming to town. The Ravens secondary is very suspect but the front seven have put enough pressure on the QB it has help hide their secondary’s holes. I think Manning struggles again this week and throws for less than 250 yards and one touchdown at the most.

Other SITS:

• Philip Rivers (S.D.)
• Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ)

Running Back

START LeSean McCoy (BUF)

McCoy shredded a Rams D that had been looking pretty good so far this year. He also ripped apart the Cardinals D a few weeks ago. It appears McCoy has something against the NFC West. Well good news for McCoy owners this week, he is facing off against the worst D in the NFL West this week in the 49ers. The 49ers are 29th in scrimmage yards to running backs and last in fantasy points to running backs. That all adds up to a nice match up for McCoy this week. McCoy is a must start this week and should easily go over 100 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving this week. I would even say there is a good chance he finds his way into the end zone this week. Start him with confidence.

Other STARTS:

• Lamar Miller (HOU)
• Melvin Gordon (S.D.)
• Christine Michael (SEA)

SIT Ezekiel Elliott (DAL)

I know I am going to get a lot of strange looks at this one. But before you write this off consider the following. In four games the Packers have given up 171 total rushing yards. Running backs total yards from scrimmage is 318 yards in four games. If you go back and watch the Packers games you will see that more often than not they are meeting opposing running backs on their side of the line. Now I will concede that this will be the best offensive line they are facing so something will give this week. Either Elliot will get his or the Packers will prove they can stop the run with the best of them. I think the Packers are going to force Dak Prescott to put the ball in the air this week by giving Elliott no room to run. The Cowboys will try to give Elliot the ball and he will see 20 plus touches, but I would be surprised if he goes over 80 yards in this one. It’s a risky call but I think he gets limited this week.

Other SITS:

• Matt Forte (NYJ)
• Isaiah Crowell (CLE)
• Eddie Lacy (G.B.)

Wide Receiver

START Amari Cooper (OAK)

After a couple of down weeks Cooper showed us why he is a WR1 in this league. Catching six passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. Don’t forget about the two point conversion either. The nice thing about the conversion is it showed that they can run goal line plays for Cooper, which is important because the knock on Cooper was he never got looks inside the 10. Coopers has another favorable match up this week at home with the Chiefs. I know some people will say the Chiefs have eight interceptions in four games, but to be fair six of them came in one game, so their secondary is not as good as they are on paper. You can throw on the Chiefs and that is good news for Cooper owners. I think he gets seven receptions for 120 yards and finds the end zone again this week for two weeks in a row.

Other STARTS:

• Doug Baldwin (SEA)
• Kelvin Benjamin (CAR)

SIT Travis Benjamin (S.D.)

I think every week there has been at least one guy mentioned as a sit because of the Bronco’s defense. This week Benjamin gets the honor. The Bronco’s are fist in yards allowed, touchdowns allowed, and fantasy points allowed to wide receivers so far this year. That is not good news for incoming wide receivers. So far this year the only thing that has bailed wide receivers out against the Bronco’s is if you are in a PPR league, and you can steal five or six points on receptions. Unfortunately I think he only reaches the four reception mark for 50 yards and zero touchdowns. Hopefully Benjamin is your WR2 so replacing should not be that hard.

Other SITS:

• Terrelle Pryor (CLE)
• Golden Tate (DET)
• Allen Hurns (JAC)

Tight End

START Jimmy Graham (SEA)

It has been nice that the last two games Graham has played he has looked like the old Graham we had come to know from his days as a Saint. In his last two games Graham has a slash line of 12/213/1. Coming off the bye the Seahawks play host to a very hot Falcons team, but they are a team that has given up a ton of points in the process. I don’t think the bye week could have come at a better time for the Seahawks, as they were a little banged up early, giving them some much needed early rest. With the Seahawks firing on all cylinders now I can see Graham catching at least five balls for 90 yards and I think he earns another trip to the end zone this weekend.

Other STARTS:

• Greg Olsen (CAR)
• Delanie Walker (TEN)
• Coby Fleener (N.O.)

SIT Gary Barnidge (CLE)

Truth be told, the fact that Barnidge is averaging a little over nine points per game in PPR leagues is pretty amazing. I know nine point a game is pretty amazing, I must be crazy. Consider the fact that he has seen five different people play QB in five games and still manages to be pretty consistent, minus game one, it is amazing. This week he has a very tough match up with a strong Titans defense and with the quarterback carousal the Browns are going through I just don’t see how I can confidently start Barnidge this week. I would consider a good day if Barnidge can catch four balls for around 45 yards.

Other SITS:

• Jacob Tamme (ATL)
• Dwayne Allen (IND)
• Clive Walford (OAK)

Defense

START Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are third in the league in sacks with 18 and second in the league in interceptions with seven. Which happens to be one behind the Chiefs who have eight and six of the eight came against the Jets. Oh and guess what? The Cards play those same Jets. Looks like they will get chance to take the interception lead this week. Start the Cards with confidence this week.

Other STARTS:

• Tennessee Titans
• Pittsburgh Steelers

SIT Carolina Panther

We already talked about how awesome Brees is at home and with Carolina’s defense struggling the last few weeks this just might be the time to stop considering the Panthers as a top defense. If not for a couple of defensive touchdowns the Pathers would be would be ranked in the mid 20’s right now. I would be avoiding the Panther D until further notice.

Other SITS:

• Dallas Cowboys
• Miami Dolphins

Michael Kelley is a member of the Going For 2 team. You can check out his website Dynasty League Problems for more writings or find him on Twitter @mikekelleydlp spreading fantasy knowledge for the masses.

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