2014-2015 Start 'Em Sit 'Em (Week 1)

Start 'Em:

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers - In many 8 or 10 team leagues, Kaepernick will have ended up as a high-end backup. However, this week he shouldn't be sitting on your bench, regardless of what quarterback you need to bench to make way for him in the starting lineup. Kaepernick is going up against a Cowboys defense that was one of the worst pass defenses in the entire NFL last season and did very little to improve that over the offseason.

Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints - The Saints' running back situation has been somewhat of a carousel over the last few years, with no one back able to cement himself as a reliable player at the position. This preseason, though, Mark Ingram has been dominant, and the 2011 first round draft pick is finally looking like he is going to live up to his potential. What's remarkable about this situation is that, despite the lack of premier running backs in the NFL, Ingram hasn't even been picked up in 100 percent of leagues. If he's still a free agent in your league, you need to pick him up NOW, and maybe even consider him for your RB2 or flex spot as he has a fairly easy matchup against the Falcons.

Marquise Lee, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars - Now that Cecil Shorts has been labeled as "out" for the game against the Eagles and Ace Sanders has been suspended for the first four games, Lee is the only half-respectable fantasy target for the Jags, and he's currently available in most ESPN leagues. You would have to be fairly desperate for a flex spot to pull this move, but he is going up against one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL (that of the Philadelphia Eagles) and Chad Henne has to throw to someone, right? Right? RIGHT?

Sit 'Em:

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens - My honest pick for a "sit 'em" quarterback this week would have been Aaron Rodgers, but considering he already played and sorely underperformed, that would really be cheating. So, here I'll tell you to sit Joe Flacco, but only if you have a fairly strong backup. Flacco doesn't have a great matchup against the Bengals, but I doubt that he'll absolutely implode. Thus, proceed with caution when sitting Flacco, but, in many situations it would probably be the right move.

DeAngelo Williams, RB,  Carolina Panthers - Williams' yard totals should be decent enough this year, but with Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert, and Cam Newton taking away from his red zone carries, he doesn't really hold much value unless one of the others gets injured or he has a great matchup. This week certainly isn't a good matchup, as Williams will go up against a Buccaneers' run defense that was one of the better run units in the entire league last year.

Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions - Tate was a legitimate WR2 last season, but that was in Seattle, where other wide receiver options were often scarce. In Detroit, other wide receiver options will be anything but scarce, as the best wide receiver in the NFL, Calvin Johnson, will demand most of the targets. In games against weak pass defenses Tate might be worth a look, but he goes up against the Giants this week, who were actually fairly impressive on pass defense last season. Tate may end up being a solid spot-start wide receiver, but this week is one of those weeks when you should keep him on your bench.

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em (Week 14)

Start 'Em:
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Last week against the Eagles, Mendenhall defiantly took the starting job back from Andre Ellington (who was hurt).  Mendenhall received a season-high eighteen carries for 76 yards against an improved Eagle's run defense.  This week he gets a Ram's defense that has allowed an average of one touchdown a game to opposing running backs.  If Mendenhall gets the same amount of carries as he did last Sunday, he should put in a big week.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears
This Bears offense may be the second most difficult matchup in the NFL behind the Denver Broncos. Both Jeffery and Brandon Marshall command double teams, they are simply to big, fast, and strong for one defender to handle.  The problem is, if you double team them both, all the Bears have to do is hand the ball off to Matt Forte.  Thus, most teams choose to double just one of the wideouts and take their chances with the other.  Every week it is inevitable that one of them is going to have a huge game, and my guess for this week is Jeffery, who should dominate Morris Claiborne, the Cowboy's underperforming second cornerback.

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens
I don't believe Flacco is a top ten quarterback in the NFL, however, with the right matchup he could be a very productive fantasy play.  It is likely that Flacco will be able to shred a miserable Viking's secondary that is worst in the NFL in allowing fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Sit 'Em:
Zac Stacy, RB, St. Louis Rams
Stacy has been an absolute revelation this season for fantasy owners, however this week he should be sitting on your bench with a tough matchup against the Cardinal's defense that is first in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.  Last week this same defense managed to slow down the Eagle's LeSean McCoy, so you should temper your expectations for Stacy.

Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints
Outside of one big week, Colston has been terrible this season, registering over ten fantasy points just twice all year.  Fantasy owners just have to accept that Colston is not longer a big part of the Saint's offense.  In the red zone Jimmy Graham receives all of the targets, while the Saint's versatile set of running backs gets the attention in the rest of the field.  Bottom line, there is no way Colston should be in your lineup any time soon.

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Though Kaepernick has put together a couple successful weeks in a row now, he will run into a roadblock this weekend against the Seahawk's defense.  This outstanding unit has allowed over ten fantasy points to an opposing quarterback just six times this year and none of those performances passed eighteen points.  Kaepernick is a solid quarterback, but he won't look one against the Seahawks defense.

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em (Week 10)

Start 'Em:
Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints
Thomas continues to get consistent touches for the Saints, both in the passing and rushing game, making him a fairly low risk option. The adage goes "low risk, low reward," however, this week, with the Saints heading into a shootout against the Cowboys, Thomas could provide a quite high reward for fantasy owners.

Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers
Allen is in the middle of a breakout year, and his production does not seem likely to end any time soon. It is undeniable at this point that he is Phillip River's number one option, and he has a favorable matchup against the Denver Bronco's defense this week. Chances are, the Broncos will get up early and the Chargers will air the ball out the remainder of the game, which means big numbers for Keenan Allen.

Jake Locker, QB, Tennessee Titans
At this point in the season, you should have noticed a positive trend in terms of fantasy points when offensive players go up against the Jaguars. Locker is having a great season (despite being injured for two weeks) against some quality defenses, including an outstanding performance against the stout 49er's defense.  The jags, on the other hand, do not have a quality defense, and should be lit up by Locker.

Sit 'Em:
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
The "Law Firm" has put in another unremarkable, but at times productive, season. As the year has gone on, though, Giovani Bernard has been receiving a significantly larger workload than Green-Ellis. Additionally, the Bengals go up against the tough Raven's run defense that has allowed only one rushing touchdown all year.

Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Boldin looked as if he was going to have a great year after a huge week one performance, but since then he has looked quite underwhelming. Vernon Davis has emerged as the clear-cut number one option for the 49er's offense and Boldin has been forced to play second fiddle. To make matters worse, this week, Boldin goes up against the tough Panther's pass defense that ranks second in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers.

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens
After receiving a huge contract during the offseason, Flacco has failed to impress.  On sunday, the Ravens face a Bengal's defense that has had a great season so far. Flacco has struggled against lesser defenses such as the Dolphins, Texans, and Bills, so it seems likely that Flacco will have a difficult sunday against the Bengals.

2013 Season Opener: Ravens @ Broncos

     The wait is now over. Tonight, the reigning Super Bowl Champions will take on one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history to kickoff the 2013 season. The Baltimore Ravens, last year's Super Bowl champions, are traveling to Denver to take on Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. In the 2012 playoffs, the Ravens upset Denver in overtime, and as we know, the Ravens went on to win Super Bowl XLVII. Baltimore lost several key players in the offseason, including Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Paul Kruger, and Anquan Boldin. Quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice make up the core of this offense, while the defense still has an abundance of talent capable of dominating the league. Peyton Manning of the Broncos gained yet another offensive weapon in the offseason: slot receiver Wes Welker. Yet this defense will be missing two pass rushers that found extraordinary success in 2012. Linebacker Von Miller was suspended for six games at the start of the season, while defensive end Elvis Dumervil left to play for Baltimore after a contract error. The Ravens offense may have lost a key offensive weapon in Anquan Boldin, but Joe Flacco will have plenty of time in the pocket with both Miller and Dumervil gone. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning will have to face the Ravens defense, and will struggle to consistently put points on the board.
Prediction: Ravens over Broncos 27-24

Top 10 Free Agents: Joe Flacco

1. Joe Flacco: There is no disputing Joe Flacco deserves to be number one on this countdown, seeing that he was able to lead the Baltimore Ravens to their second Super Bowl title. Flacco will not let their quarterback leave Maryland, where he can potentially make Baltimore's offense the highest scoring group in the league. Flacco's arm allows him to throw it deep with wide receivers such as Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones and Anquan Boldin. Baltimore's defense is losing several key veterans to retirement or free agency, which is why Baltimore must sign Flacco to the big contract he rightfully deserves.

Super Bowl XLVII Prediction

     Super Bowl XLVII is destined to be a close game up until the very end, and apart from some early jitters,  it will be a relatively high scoring game. Both Kaepernick and Flacco have proven to be clutch in big games as seen in the 2013 NFL playoffs. Basically, the team to get the ball last will likely win Super Bowl XLVII. We believe that team will be San Francisco, as David Akers kicks the deciding field goal to win the game after missing a field goal just minutes before.

Prediction: 49ers over Ravens 27-24

MVP: LaMichael James: 105 rushing yards, 1 TD, 30 receiving yards

Super Bowl XLVII Preview: Baltimore Ravens

     The Baltimore Ravens were surely doubted entering the 2012 postseason, some even predicting them to be knocked off in the first round by Andrew Luck and the Colts. The road did not get any easier, as Baltimore looked to upset Denver, and then New England, both on the road. Somehow, the Ravens defied all odds, beating Peyton Manning in overtime, and then upsetting the big, bad, New England Patriots in Foxborough. Much of Baltimore's energy appears to coming from their star linebacker Ray Lewis, who announced he will be calling it quits by the end of this season. So will Ray Lewis retire as a two-time NFL champion, or will he watch as San Francisco celebrates their sixth Super Bowl title? In this post, we will analyze Baltimore's offense and defense as the Ravens wait patiently for tomorrow's big game.

Offense: One question many people have been asking throughout media week relates to Joe Flacco, and whether or not he is an elite quarterback in the National Football League. Many critiqued Flacco for his inability to lead his team through the playoffs. Now, the young, talented Ravens teams will be fighting for their second Super Bowl ring, so Flacco has opportunity to quiet the critics. There is no disputing Flacco's arm, as he is capable of bombing a ball deep downfield with surprising accuracy. Many believe Super Bowl XLVII will come down to the wire, so if necessary, Flacco may need to show off his arm strength late in the game.  It will be interesting to see how John Harbaugh plans to play against San Francisco; will he be conservative and run Ray Rice 30-plus times, or will he let Joe Flacco throw deep despite the risk of a costly interception. Anquon Boldin, a Baltimore Raven with wide receiver speed and tight end size, may give this San Francisco secondary trouble. However, the difference maker in Sunday's game will be Torrey Smith, Baltimore's wide receiver who averaged 18.3 yards per catch during the regular season. In my opinion, Flacco ought to wear down the San Francisco secondary with deep pass after deep pass, occasionally handing the ball off to Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce.
Grade: B+/A-

Defense: After Baltimore took down Tom Brady and the Patriots, it seemed as though nothing could go wrong for Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis. Television could not stop talking about Ray Lewis and his amazing story as he looks to win Super Bowl XLVII, concluding his 17 year career. Shockingly, a report was released by Sports Illustrated, connecting Ray Lewis to deer antler spray, a spray that contains hormones made illegal by the National Football League. Unless more details were to be released within the next 24 hours, it appears Lewis will be playing in tomorrow's game. But will this new controversy affect Lewis' play? Lewis is the unofficial captain of this team, so if the future Hall of Famer does not show up to play, this defense as a whole will falter. On the other hand, if Lewis plays with ferocity, players like Terrell Suggs will feed off of his energy. Suggs returned from an Achilles injury in Week 7, and even though it is Lewis gaining all the attention, Suggs deserves most of the credit for Baltimore's defensive success. Baltimore is 8-3 with Suggs in the starting lineup, allowing 20.8 points to opposing team's with Suggs, compared to 21.5 points without him. Baltimore's defense lacks the intimidation seen from San Francisco's defense, but they are still able to get the job done.
Grade: B+/A-