You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers -- at least we hope so. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting Christian McCaffrey. But that's too obvious, so you won't see such simple analysis here. Instead, we're exploring more debatable situations. And if you can't find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start 'Em
In some formats, you and I both had better fantasy outputs than Gay did last week. In an uncharacteristic outing, he missed both attempts: a field goal and an extra point. But Gay has shown to be a reliable option if you need between eight to 13 fantasy points. The Colts should be able to move the ball against the Steelers' defense -- at least enough to get Gay some field goal chances. I would give him another shot, even after last week’s disappointment.
Santos has scored double digits in four straight games, yet entering Week 14, he’s available in 90 percent of NFL.com leagues! That should change, as he’s a great streaming option. In the last month, he has scored 12, 16, 14 and 10 fantasy points. The Bears should move the ball against the Browns, but could struggle to punch it in. Unless we hear about serious weather concerns in Cleveland, start Santos this week.
Elliott hasn’t displayed quite the ceiling he did early in the year as of late, but he’s still maintained a solid floor. The Eagles get a better matchup this week and should be able to move the ball consistently against the Seahawks. Plus, he plays on Monday, so you can take your fantasy playoff matchup down to the wire.
It's been two down weeks in a row for Lutz, but I’m willing to give him another shot. Not only is there a good chance the Broncos' offense has to speed up the tempo against the Lions, but there should be a lot of points in this one. And it’s an indoor game, which carries a ton of weight at this time of year.
Sit 'Em
It was an uncharacteristically inaccurate Sunday for Koo, who missed two field goals last week. But it was his fourth straight game with seven points or fewer in fantasy. The floor has been too low for me (or you) to roll the dice in the fantasy playoffs.
Since Week 4, Boswell has topped double digits just twice. His high game is 11. He has been held to four fantasy points three times since Week 8. So, the floor is low and the upside is not much higher. As long as Pittsburgh's offense looks as inept as it has, you cannot trust Boswell in fantasy.
As the Vikings' offense tanks, so does Joseph’s fantasy value. He has been held to four or fewer fantasy points in two straight. He has not reached double figures since Week 9. Plus, he’s an indoor kicker who will be kicking outdoors this Saturday. That always scares me a bit in December. I would play someone else this week.
McLaughlin scored 11 fantasy points last week. It was just his second time with more than 10 fantasy points in a game this season. So, there’s not a ton of upside. Plus, he’s a Florida kicker who will be headed up north into the rarely friendly conditions of Lambeau Field. I would play it safe and avoid that situation.