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 Justin Jefferson. 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 . Unless otherwise noted, all stats come from , Next Gen Stats or ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch.
Start 'Em
I declared back in Week 6 that Daniels has elevated to must-start status. I hope you have listened, because all he has done is ball out -- outside of the game against Carolina when he exited early with a ribs injury. Excluding that Week 7 contest, Daniels has topped 19 fantasy points in all but one game this season. He has rushed for more than 30 yards in all but one game -- very valuable in fantasy. Now he faces a Steelers team that ranks in the bottom two in fantasy points per game allowed to QBs and has been stout against the run. No matter. There's just no way I am shying away from Daniels, who has come through in tough matchups before.
It has been an up and down fantasy season for Purdy. He's had three huge games ... and a bunch of floor performances. He has used his legs more this season, though, which is huge for his fantasy value. Purdy has three rushing TDs in his last two games after having three career rushing TDs up until that point. Getting Christian McCaffrey back healthy will also go a long way for Purdy, as the reigning Offensive Player of the Year is a force in the passing game. This Sunday, Purdy faces the Bucs, who have allowed the third-most passing yards and touchdowns to QBs this season, along with the second-most fantasy PPG to the position.
Consistency is highly underrated in fantasy football, and Darnold has provided plenty of that in 2024. Since Week 2, he has just two games with fewer than 18 fantasy points. He had 16 in one of those instances, meaning he has a safe floor. He has multiple passing TDs in six of eight games this season and has regularly outperformed bigger names, such as Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff and C.J. Stroud in weekly scores. He now has a chance to have a huge outing against the Jaguars, who have allowed the second-most passing yards and the most passing touchdowns and fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Stick with Sam.
I am a Drake Maye believer. Of course, there are ups and downs with a young quarterback, but the flashes he shows remind me of a young Josh Allen and indicate that he can play at a very high level in this league. Maye is already reaching that level in fantasy. In three full starts, he is averaging 18.7 fantasy points per game. Including the game he left early with a concussion, Maye has averaged 49 rush yards per contest, and he ran for 95 yards this past week. That rushing ability elevates his fantasy floor and ceiling. Plus, he’s not afraid to air the ball out, making him a big-play threat. Even in a tough matchup against the Bears, I am willing to roll the dice on Maye’s fantasy upside.
I had Goff as a "sit" last week because he was playing outdoors in poor weather conditions. It worked out, with Goff scoring single-digit fantasy points, but he didn’t play poorly, all things considered. Goff completed 82 percent of his passes against the Packers, but he simply didn’t have to throw a bunch. He is back in a dome this week in Houston, going against a defense that has allowed the most passing touchdowns to QBs this season. The Texans allowed Aaron Rodgers to throw for three scores last week and have allowed the 10th-most fantasy PPG to the position. Given how well Goff is playing, paired with the offense and playmakers at his disposal, the Lions quarterback remains in play, especially with four teams on a bye.
This is more about Stafford and the Rams' offense than the matchup. The Dolphins have been stingy against QBs this season, but Stafford has six passing touchdowns in his last two games (after having just three over his first six games). He has averaged 289 passing yards per game in his last two contests, even doing so last week with Puka Nacua getting ejected very early in the game. I believe Los Angeles' offense is near elite when all of its playmakers are healthy. What’s happened this year mirrors Stafford’s 2023 campaign, when he sat outside top 20 fantasy QB in the first half of the season before vaulting up into the top 10 down the stretch, once all of his weapons were healthy. With Miami having the offensive firepower to make this a high-scoring game, Stafford is certainly in play.
Sit 'Em
DeAndre Hopkins very well could be the piece that elevates the Chiefs’ passing attack, having scored two TDs in Monday's win. Mahomes put up his best game of the season in Week 9, but it came in the best possible matchup for a QB: Tampa Bay. He does not get that luxury this week. The Broncos got cooked by Lamar Jackson in Week 9, but they had been shutting down quarterbacks prior to that. Before playing Baltimore, Denver had allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs. Mahomes has faced the Broncos plenty in his career, producing mixed results. Last season, he averaged 273 passing yards per game and threw one touchdown pass against three interceptions. He is a matchup play right now, and this is a tough one.
A "sit" in this file last week, Stroud finished with just 11.54 fantasy points against the Jets, marking his third straight game with fewer than 13 fantasy points. He has just one passing touchdown over his last three games and has thrown multiple TDs in just three contests this season. His pass yardage has steadily declined, as well. Getting Nico Collins back would be a huge boost, but Stroud still has a tough matchup this week. The Lions have allowed just six passing touchdowns this season, the second-fewest in the league, and have 11 interceptions. Since Week 5, Detroit has allowed just two passing TDs. Given the recent production and matchup, it is OK to get away from Stroud this week.
The great Marcas Grant has often said the idea of Tua Tagovailoa in fantasy is better than the reality, and he’s right. Tua has not scored 19 fantasy points in a game this season. Since returning in Week 8, he has averaged 233 passing yards per game and has failed to reach 18 fantasy points. Because the Dolphins rely heavily on their run game, especially in the red zone, the quarterback just doesn't have major upside. Tagovailoa, who was the QB23 in the second half of last season, faces an improving Rams defense this week. Since Week 5, Los Angeles has allowed the sixth-lowest passer rating, fourth-lowest completion percentage and ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs. Get away from Tua this week.
I am not jumping off the Bo Nix train. Nix has been very good for fantasy purposes of late and has plenty of decent upcoming matchups. However, the Chiefs aren’t one of them. Since Week 5, they have allowed the second-fewest yards to quarterbacks and rank in the bottom 12 in passing touchdowns allowed. Since Week 3, only two QBs have topped 15 fantasy points against Kansas City -- one being San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, who did so with two rushing TDs. Nix could certainly do that, but it is far too risky to trust. Play it safe this week and go in another direction.
This was a difficult decision. On paper, the Patriots are not a matchup to avoid. If anything, they are one to stream against. However, Williams has had good matchups in each of the last two weeks and failed to throw a touchdown pass or reach double-digit fantasy points in either game. He has scored fewer than 12 fantasy points in five of eight games, showing that his floor is far too low to trust. The Patriots are in the middle of the pack in fantasy PPG allowed to QBs over the last month. Due to the recent production, I would get away from the rookie.
