Start Em / Sit Em - Week 12 - Sunday Games

By Brad Kruse

In this Start Em / Sit Em column each week, I'm looking to find some fringe players that you might consider starting each week and comment based on their matchups. Early on, I'll base my selection of candidates on where they were with respect to ADP. I'm not going to try to pad my stats by suggestin your start Drew Brees each week, but instead trying to dig deep and find some nuggets for players to avoid or to go after. These are coin flip guys and if I can finish the year at better than 60% I'll consider it a success. My metrics to get the start decision are: QB 20 pts or more, RB, WR or TE need to score 12 pts or more for a successful endorsement. Defense/Special Teams should put in 8 points or more to get those picks right. I'll look at ~4-6 players on each Thursday night's game and ~ 6 players for the rest of the week to get you going. Good Luck this year!

Player	Pos	Team	Opp	Start / Sit	Comment
Josh McCown	QB	TAM	CHI	Start	McCown has been startable in 3 of 4 starts this year. Look for him to contribute to fantasy teams in week 12 against his former team.
Matt Ryan	QB	ATL	CLE	SIT	Ryan has been better at home, but with his O-Line issues preventing the deep passing game from hooking up he's struggled to put up solid numbers. Cleveland's defense has been brutal vs the QB since week 5. They've yielded only 14.5 ppg to the QB with only one startable week in 6 games.
Jonas Gray	RB	NE	DET	SIT	Gray bursted on the scene last week with 4 TDs. His first 4 TDs of his career. It's always a guessing game with NE RBs. This week they get a tough defense vs the run. It would seem to signal more of a Shane Vereen game. Also, Gray got sent home from practice due to tardiness. NE also just signed Blount who played well down the stretch for them last year. I certainly don't expect a repeat performance from week 11. His upside is probably capped due to the quality of the opponent, his down side being a NE RB is always low. I'd sit him this week.
Isiah Crowell	RB	CLE	ATL	Start	Crowell was a game day announced starter for Cleveland last week. Afterward, Cleveland released Ben Tate. The signs point to a stabalizing role for Crowell. Also, his opponent is Atlanta which is plus as well. Start Crowell with confidence this week.
Anquan Boldin	WR	SF	WAS	Start	I had a near miss last week recommending Boldin. But, the matchup again is good and his history is strong enough to make me go to the well again and recommend him in week 12.
Larry Donnell	TE	NYG	DAL	Start	Donnell has re-emerged as an option in the Giants passing game. Dallas has been vulnerable to TE's. In a year in which finding TEs to start has been difficult, Donnell should be a trusted option in week 12.
Owen Daniels	TE	BAL	BAL	SIT	New Orleans has been a difficult matchup for opposing TEs. But, they've been vulnerable to opposing WRs. Look for Flacco to locate one or both Smiths this week over focussing on Daniels in this game.