Should I focus on my stud players or go with matchups this week? I have Philip Rivers at quarterback, but I can also start Matt Hasselbeck against Detroit. Also, which wide receivers should I start from Nate Burleson, Greg Jennings, Santana Moss and Johnny Knox? What about at running back from Pierre Thomas, Tim Hightower, Michael Turner and Ricky Williams? Thanks! -- J. Urban, Manhattan, Kan.
Michael Fabiano: I think Hasselbeck is a very solid option for fantasy owners this week based on his matchup against the Lions, but I'd stick with Rivers against New York. The Giants defense hasn't been very formidable against the pass in recent weeks, allowing an average of 25.6 fantasy points to quarterbacks in the last three weeks. That makes Rivers a strong choice and a little more attractive than Hasselbeck. To answer your other questions, I'd rank the wide receivers in this order: Jennings, Burleson, Moss and Knox. At running back, I'd rank Turner, Thomas, Williams and Hightower in that order. It's hard to sit Turner or Thomas after their statistical explosions in Week 8.
I noticed that the Vikings defense was rewarded with an additional sack in their Week 7 loss to the Steelers. However, when I looked back at NFL.com's scoring in the game center, the Vikings are still listed as having only three sacks? Our league rewards five points for sacks, and I lost by three points with the Vikings defense having the three sacks. Shouldn't I get that fourth sack and the win? -- C. Tansey, Merrimack, N.H.
M.F.: This very scenario happened in one of my leagues, and as the commissioner I rewarded the owner with the Vikings defense additional points for a fourth sack. If your commissioner doesn't know about the ruling change, you can find proof of the fourth sack in NFL.com's game center for the Vikings-Steelers contest. If you're a commissioner and are uncertain how to make the switch, simply go to the "fantasy game center" link in the live scoring drop down on your league's home page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "adjust scoring" in red. At the top of the page, adjust the scoring period to "8" and type in the point total rewarded in the adjustments column. You can also include a description of the adjustment in the reason column.
Michael, This is a huge week for my fantasy team and I need a win to stay in this thing! Which of the following three running backs should I bench: Marion Barber, Cedric Benson or Matt Forte? Please help! -- J. Zausch, Milwaukee, Wis.
M.F.: Benson is a must-start regardless of the opponent. In fact, he's been better against formidable opponents for some odd reason, so don't be too worried about his game against the Ravens. I would also start Forte over Barber. The Bears running back is coming off his best game of the season, at least from a fantasy perspective, and he's facing a home game against a Cardinals defense that allowed 270 rushing yards to the Panthers in Week 8. Barber has a tougher matchup, facing the Eagles on the road.
I've lost Owen Daniels for the season and need to add one of Dustin Keller, Benjamin Watson, Jermichael Finley, Kevin Boss or Fred Davis for the rest of the season. I could also look to deal for either Brent Celek or Jeremy Shockey, but I'm only willing to trade Mike Sims-Walker, Nate Washington or Antonio Bryant. What should I do? -- M. Brown, Australia
M.F.: First off, I wouldn't deal Sims-Walker for Celek or Shockey unless you're loaded at the wide receiver position. I'd much rather deal Washington or Bryant, but I doubt that's enough to offer in a deal. If you can't swing a trade and are forced to use the waiver wire, I would add Davis. With Keller on a bye, I think he's your best bet to make an impact for your team in Week 9. The Southern California product should become a reliable option in the pass attack for Jason Campbell, who targeted Davis a number of times the night Chris Cooley broke his ankle. Davis also has a good matchup against the Falcons, who are allowing an average of 9.7 fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Hey Michael, another team offered me both Matt Forte and Greg Jennings for Cedric Benson. I have Brian Westbrook, DeAngelo Williams and Pierre Thomas in my backfield and Roddy White, Mario Manningham, Santana Moss and Anthony Gonzalez at wide receiver. Should I pull the trigger? -- F. Dy, Philippines
M.F.: I'm telling most people to trade Forte after his strong performance against the Browns, based on the fact that seven of his final eight games are against teams that rank 12th or better against the run. Two of those games, including one in Week 16 (fantasy's championship week), against the Minnesota Vikings. With that said, I do think this deal makes sense because you're really lacking a solid wide receiver after White. Manningham is banged up and seems to have lost his starting role to rookie Hakeem Nicks, and it's become hard to trust Moss as a weekly starter. Because you have depth at running back, you can play the matchups and use a rotation of Forte, Thomas or Westbrook with Williams entrenched as a starter. Again, this deal works in my opinion because you're getting a major upgrade at wide receiver in Jennings. Getting Forte is just secondary.
Love the columns, I am 7-1 and in first place thanks to you! I'm in a PPR league and have Tony Romo, Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore, Rashard Mendenhall, Anquan Boldin, Greg Jennings, Brandon Marshall, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Steve Smith (NYG) and Vernon Davis. Is now the time to trade Romo, who has a tough playoff schedule, for someone like Philip Rivers or Aaron Rodgers? Also, should I look to package a combination of wide receivers and Mendenhall to upgrade for a more potent wideout like Reggie Wayne? We're required to start three receivers. -- R. Ricca, Cleveland, Ohio
M.F.: Romo and the Cowboys have a very tough slate of games down the stretch, facing the Eagles (2), Redskins (2), Packers and Chargers. All of those defenses rank in the top 10 against the pass this season. I'm not sure you'll be able to find someone to deal Rivers or Rodgers straight up for Romo, but it's worth a shot. I'm not sure I would trade your third running back, Mendenhall, but I would package Boldin and either Houshmandzadeh or Smith in an effort to acquire an elite wideout like Wayne or Andre Johnson. With the Cardinals pass attack not what it was last season and an ankle ailment that could linger the rest of the season, I think the time to move Boldin is now.
These backfield committees are frustrating this season! I have Adrian Peterson on a bye in Week 9, and I picked up Jamaal Charles to fill in for the moment. Should I start him ahead of LeSean McCoy and Knowshon Moreno? -- J. Burruezzo, Tampa, Fla.
M.F.: It looks like Brian Westbrook (concussion) has a better chance to play this week for the Eagles. If he does in fact return to action, McCoy would be less of an option. It's also hard to like Moreno against the Steelers, who rank first in the league against the run and are allowing an average of just 84.3 rushing yards per game on the road. That alone makes me side with Charles, a versatile runner who has added value in PPR leagues. He'll get the start in place of the suspended Larry Johnson and is a great bet to see somewhere around 20 touches against Jacksonville. The Jaguars are 25th in run defense, allowing an average of close to 130 rushing yards per game on the season.
I have to choose three players to fill two wide receiver spots and one flex spot in a PPR league. My choices are Roddy White, DeSean Jackson, Miles Austin, Dwayne Bowe, Derrick Mason and Calvin Johnson (if he plays). Thanks! -- D. Manuel, Mexico
M.F.: If Johnson is active, it's hard not to start a player of his caliber against an increasingly more vulnerable Seahawks pass defense. The other two wideouts to start are Jackson and Austin. Jackson has been a fantasy dream come true in his second season, and a matchup against the Cowboys' shaky pass defense makes him a strong option. As much as I like White as a fantasy player and Bowe based on a great matchup against the Jaguars, how do you bench Austin right now? Based on the strength of just three games, he's already tied with Andre Johnson for third in fantasy points among wide receivers on NFL.com. The preseason super sleeper is behind only Reggie Wayne and Vincent Jackson at receiver and is simply too hot to reserve. If Megatron is unable to transform from inactive to active in Week 9, I'd start White ahead of Bowe.
I have Peyton Manning as my starting quarterback and Matt Schaub as a backup. I'm thinking about dealing Schaub to upgrade my backfield or wide receivers. I have Matt Forte, Ronnie Brown, Mike Bell and Shonn Greene at running back and Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Johnny Knox, Jeremy Maclin and Percy Harvin at wide receiver. What kind of deals should I look to make? -- F. Martinson, New Jersey
M.F.: I think you're in better shape at running back, so I'd target a wide receiver (or both if at all possible -- read on). Schaub, who is second in fantasy points among all players on NFL.com after eight weeks, garners only an elite player in return in a potential trade. I'd even package him with Forte and go after Adrian Peterson and a wide receiver (someone like Dwayne Bowe or Hines Ward, for example). When you're trying to trade a player with such immense value, you need to shoot for the stars. Don't undersell him because he's lost Owen Daniels for the season. Schaub has developed into a premier fantasy option, and he should be seen as such in trade negotiations.
Michael, I need a defense this week. I've been playing the matchups and it's worked for the most part, except last week when the Cardinals got torched! Any suggestions on which defense I should add for Week 9? Also, do I start Jay Cutler or David Garrard? -- J. Sims, Chicago, Ill.
M.F.: Despite a great matchup on paper, the Cardinals defense certainly disappointed fantasy leaguers last week. Sometimes the matchups work, sometimes they don't. Moving ahead to Week 9, I'd take a chance on the Seahawks defense. While this unit can't handle powerful offenses like the Cowboys or Cardinals, the Lions are anything but powerful. Matthew Stafford wasn't at all effective against the lowly Rams, and the potential absence of Calvin Johnson makes Detroit even less productive. The Packers defense is also a tremendous option this week against rookie quarterback Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers, but they're not available in most fantasy leagues at this point.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question for Michael on anything fantasy football related? Leave it in our comments section or send it to **AskFabiano@nfl.com**!
