Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system. For your final starting lineup decisions, check my weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes:Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Ryan has put up a couple of stinkers in a row, but you have to like this week's matchup against the Buccaneers. Their defense has surrendered four straight top-10 quarterback performances, and the position has averaged a 102.1 passer rating and more than 23 fantasy points per game. Ryan is a good bet to post top-10 totals this week.
Brady hasn't been great lately, scoring fewer than 14 fantasy points in three of his last four games. Still, I like him to rebound against a Cowboys defense that has allowed an average of more than 23 fantasy points to quarterbacks in their last two games. That includes a 27.5-point stat line to Lions backup QB Jeff Driskel last week.
Mayfield has scored 17-plus fantasy points in three straight games, and his schedule is pretty favorable the rest of the season. That trend will begin this week, when he faces a Dolphins defense that's surrendered 23 scoring strikes and an average of more than 21 fantasy points per game to enemy quarterbacks this season.
Carr has scored 19-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games, and a road game against the Jets makes him a nice streamer for fantasy fans once again. The Men in Green have struggled against quarterbacks this year, allowing an average of more than 270 passing yards and nearly 19 fantasy points per game to the position.
Wentz has had a brutal schedule in recent weeks, but things get easier starting with a home game against the Seahawks. Their defense has allowed the second-most passing yards per game over the last four weeks, and the position has averaged more than 18 fantasy points per game against them overall. Wentz is a low QB1.
Start 'Em:Drew Brees vs. Carolina Panthers, Josh Allen vs. Denver Broncos
Sleepers:Sam Darnold vs. Oakland Raiders, Jeff Driskel at Washington Redskins
Sit 'Em
Goff has been a shell of the quarterback he was last season with just 12 touchdown passes and 17 turnovers. He's also coming off a 5.2-point stinker against the Bears, and an upcoming matchup against the Ravens makes him a big-time fade. Their defense has surrendered an average of just 13.6 fantasy points to opposing signal-callers.
Rodgers is no longer the plug and play quarterback we had come to know and love in fantasy leagues. Instead, he's now a matchup-based starter who has scored fewer than 15 fantasy points six times this season. Next up is a date with the Niners, who have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to enemy quarterbacks this season.
Winston is coming off a four-interception game against the Saints, and now he's tasked with facing maybe the hottest defense in the league when the Bucs visit the Falcons. In their last two games, Atlanta has put up 11 sacks, four interceptions and held Drew Brees to fewer than 12 fantasy points. I'd beware of Winston this week.
Garoppolo has been a popular streamer in recent weeks, and he's been up to the task with a pair of 28-plus point performances in his last three games. Unfortunately, he's a fade this week when the Niners face the Packers at Levi Stadium. Their defense has allowed an average of just 15.5 fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.
Jones scored 28-plus fantasy points in two of his three starts before the Giants' bye week, but don't chase the points when he faces the Bears. For all of its shortcomings, Chicago has allowed just nine touchdown passes and the fifth-fewest fantasy points to enemy quarterbacks. Keep the rookie on the bench this weekend.
Sit 'Em:Kyle Allen at New Orleans Saints, Brandon Allen at Buffalo Bills
Busts:Mitchell Trubisky at New York Giants, Nick Foles at Tennessee Titans
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
