Week 10 Fantasy Starts & Sits

On Wednesday I popped off at the mouth and offered you guys the opportunity to take me down in a Week 10 Salary Cap Challenge that our friends at FanDuel.com were nice enough to set up.

The league was capped at 15 contestants and 14 of you jumped at the opportunity to kick my ass in a public forum. Kudos. All I can say is that you better bring you’re A-game.

Since I didn’t expect the demand to be that high, FanDuel has been nice enough to open up another 15-person league, which will allow 14 more readers to get in on the action and have a chance to take me out.

Not only will you have the opportunity to win cash in both of the leagues, but I’ll be giving away a gift bag to the overall winners of both leagues as well, courtesy of the good folks at Procter & Gamble.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN LEAGUE 2 AND EARN YOURSELF SOME BRAGGING RIGHTS!

Speaking of the Procter & Gamble 2010 Bloggers Fantasy League, the NFP squad (“Fresh 2 Death”) moved to 7-2 with another win last weekend. Click HERE to read the weekly recap from Will Brinson of AOL Fanhouse.

In addition, if you want a chance to win some Pro Bowl tickets and a trip to Hawaii, click HERE to visit the Procter & Gamble facebook page. They’re running a contest called “Take it to the House.”

And now, you’re end of the week motivational message:

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com

START ‘EM UP

David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars: If there was ever a week to feel confident starting Garrard, Week 10 vs. Houston is it. In his last five outings against the Texans, Garrard is 4-1 with six touchdown passes, one interception and an average of 239.2 passing yards per game (QB rating: 97.4). In addition, this is a Texans team that ranks dead last in the NFL in pass defense (298.2 yds/gm) and is giving up more fantasy points per week (25.1) to opposing quarterbacks than any other squad in the NFL.

Also start: Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions: Best was on the “sit list” in Week 9, but things can change in a hurry from week to week in the NFL. Detroit heads to Buffalo this Sunday to take on a Bills run defense that ranks dead last in the league (178.2 yds/gm) and is surrendering an average of 24.5 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs (second-most in NFL). Don’t expect the type of numbers Best produced in Week 2 against the Eagles, but as far as NFL running backs are concerned, you won’t find a more favorable matchup anywhere on the board.

Also start: Shaun Hill, QB, Detroit Lions

Larry FitzgeraldAfter a slow start to the season, Fitzgerald has started to produce.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals: It’s been a rough year for Fitzgerald owners, but feel free to ride the wave from last Sunday’s game at Minnesota (seven receptions, 107 yards) into Week 10. Fitz and the Cardinals welcome in a Seattle pass defense that ranks 30th in the league (270.5 yds/gm) and is giving up an average of 24.0 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (seventh-most in NFL). Keep in mind that over the last two weeks, the Pro Bowl wideout has been targeted 22 times and is averaging 14.5 fantasy points per game.

Mike Goodson, RB, Carolina Panthers: (ALERT: Goodson is ONLY advised as a flex option for owners in deeper leagues that could use some help at the running back position). With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart on the shelf for Week 10, second-year running back Mike Goodson (Texas A&M) gets his first career start against a Tampa Bay squad that ranks 30th in the NFL against the run (147.0 yds/gm) and is surrendering 23.0 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs (fifth-most in NFL). Rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen will need all the help he can get on Sunday, so expect Goodson to see a healthy dose of carries.

Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants: (ALERT: Manningham is advised as a “start” option in Week 10 due to the injury Steve Smith suffered in practice on Thursday. If Smith plays, Manningham’s stock will drop). After torching the Cowboys for 41 points and 497 total yards back in Week 7, look for Big Blue to put another big hurting on the Cowboys in Week 10. Dallas has already given up 18 touchdown passes this season (second-most in NFL) and is surrendering an average of 27.4 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (third-most in NFL). If Steve Smith is unable to play due to a strained pectoral muscle he suffered in practice on Thursday, look for Manningham to step up and deliver.

Brandon PettigrewDon't sleep on Pettigrew this weekend.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Detroit Lions: Very quietly, Pettigrew has worked himself into the top-12 in scoring among fantasy tight ends. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy is averaging 7.1 targets per game (fourth in NFL among TEs) and has found the end zone in three of his last four outings. Don’t be surprised if Pettigrew posts a top-five performance this Sunday at Buffalo against a Bills defense that is giving up more fantasy points to opposing tight ends (12.8 pts/gm) than any other team in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, D/ST: The Buccaneers currently rank 19th in scoring among fantasy defenses, so there is a good chance this unit could be sitting on your waiver wire. If you’re one of those owners that like to rotate D/STs on a weekly basis, this is the unit for you in Week 10. On Sunday, Tampa Bay plays host to a Carolina Panthers team that is giving up an average of 14.0 fantasy points per wee k to opposing defenses (second-most in NFL). In addition, rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen is back under center (1 TD, 4 INTs, QB rating of 48.0 in 2010) and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are both banged up and expected to miss Sunday’s game.

SIT ‘EM DOWN

Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota Vikings: Favre may be coming off a record-setting performance against the Arizona Cardinals (446 passing yards), but this Sunday offers a more daunting challenge as the Vikings head to Chicago to take on a Bears pass defense that has given up just five passing touchdowns on the season (best in NFL). In addition, Chicago is surrendering only 13.4 fantasy points per week to opposing quarterbacks (third-fewest in NFL). Be advised that in four road games this season, Favre is 0-4, has thrown six interceptions, is completing only 54.9% of his passes and has a QB rating of just 72.0.

Also sit: Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Minnesota Vikings

LaDainian TomlinsonTomlinson is going to start losing more carries to Shonn Greene.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, New York Jets: Is the old age finally starting to catch up with Tomlinson this season? The veteran Pro Bowler hasn’t topped 55 rushing yards in a game in any of his last three contests and takes on a Cleveland run defense this weekend that is giving up just 14.2 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs (sixth-fewest in NFL). Not only that, but word surfaced earlier this week that the Jets plan on splitting the backfield workload 50-50 between L.T. and second-year running back Shonn Greene.

Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys: Call it the “Kardashian slump” if you want, but Miles Austin has been M.I.A. from fantasy stat sheets in recent weeks, as the Pro Bowl wide receiver has caught just 14 passes for 183 yards and zero touchdowns over his last four games. Expect the drought to continue in Week 10 when Austin goes up against a New York Giants pass defense that ranks second in the league (169.8 yds/gm) and is giving up just 18.6 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (sixth-fewest in NFL).

Also sit: All Dallas Cowboys running backs

Danny Woodhead & BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RBs, New England Patriots: Woodhead has only scored two touchdowns over his last five games and Green-Ellis has failed to top 30 rushing yards in three of his last four outings. Expect the trend to continue Sunday night in Pittsburgh as the Patriots hit the road to play a Steelers defense that ranks first in the NFL against the run (58.2 yds/gm) and is allowing only 10.6 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs (second-best in NFL). The Steelers have surrendered only three rushing touchdowns all season (t-third in NFL) and opposing running backs are averaging just 2.7 yards per carry at Heinz Field in 2010.

Davone Bess, WR, Miami Dolphins: Bess has posted some respectable numbers this season (44-451-3), but he’s been held out of the end zone in five of eight games and hasn’t topped 70 yards receiving in a contest since October 4 (vs. New England). In addition, the Dolphins announced earlier this week that quarterback Chad Pennington will start on Sunday in place of the ineffective and inconsistent Chad Henne. Keep that in mind as Miami plays host to a Tennessee defense that is giving up just 19.4 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (11th-fewest in NFL).

Greg OlsenICONDon't let a solid Week 9 cloud your judgment. Olsen belongs on the bench this Sunday.

Greg Olsen, TE, Chicago Bears: The Chicago pass-catcher is coming off an eight-point fantasy performance (3-29-1, 8 targets) against the Buffalo Bills, which may have many of you thinking about starting him for the second consecutive week. Don’t. Olsen has only caught six passes over his last four games and ranks 21st in the league in targets among players at the tight end position. It’s going to be slim pickings this Sunday against a Minnesota pass defense that is surrendering only 5.2 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends (fourth-best in NFL). There are better options on the board.

Washington Redskins, D/ST: Despite having the NFL’s 31st-ranked pass defense (280.9 yds/gm), the Washington Redskins are currently ranked 13th in scoring among fantasy D/STs. We’re advising you go in another direction this weekend as Mike Shanahan and company welcome in a Philadelphia Eagles team that ranks fourth in the NFL in total offense (376.2 yds/gm) and eighth in scoring (24.8 pts/gm). Look for quarterback Michael Vick to have a big game against the team that busted up his ribs back in Week 4.

Hit me up on Twitter: @JoeFortenbaugh

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The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 digital sports influencers competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win P&G product, a donation to a local charity, and a trip to Super Bowl XLV, all furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in any way.

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