Start Sit: New Orleans Saints and Cedric Benson

For those who still don't see the wisdom of excluding Week 17 from fantasy football play-offs relevence, get ready to sit your QB Drew Brees and then take a guess as to which WRs head coach Sean Payton considers too valuable to risk an injury. I'm guessing Marues Colston, but can't really differentitate amongst him and Devry Henderson and Robert Meachem. I admit to curiousity about whether Meachem could produce without a QB of Brees' stature.

Thanks to the NFL flexing the New York Jets/Cincinnati Bengals game, most fantasy football players need to call the result of the Houston Texans/New England Patriots game in order to start RB Cedric Benson and WR Chad OchoCinco. If the Patriots win, then the Bengals play-off seed is locked.

As for the Indianapolis Colts, no way QB Peyton Manning, RB Joseph Addai and WR Reggie Wayne are starts. The question is whether WRs Austin Collie and Hank Baskett(?) can be productive with Curtis Painter under center. I am doubtful, but, gratefully, do not need to make that decision. A look at my actual decisions for my Week 17 win-and-I'm in roster is telling.

I am sitting Cedric Benson and Marques Colston in favor of Antonio Bryant and Matt Forte. See, I already had to sit Brandon Marshall for Jabar Gaffney. So, if you can, pick-up Gaffney as my #1 Worthless All Season But Decisive Fantasy Play-offs Determiner.

Start Sit: Steven Jackson, Cedric Benson, Michael Turner

RB Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams: Agita. Coming into the season, Jackson wore the injury-prone label and saw his draft value fall into the late 1st round. He has played every game this season, dispelled the impression of injury-prone and produced like a Top 5 RB. Then Week 12 sees him miss practice all week. If he is active, start him. I'm not sold he isn't being given a breather.

RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals: So he is active. Do you start him with reports Bernard Scott will get significant work? Why not. Coaches say things to the press about players getting rests, less work, blah,blah blah and never follow-up. 18 touches for Benson in a great match-up makes him no less a start than Ronnie Brown of the Dolphins was.

RB Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons: A high ankle sprain is a multi-week injury. The fact the team keeps leading the press into printing he may play is just another example of the flagrant lying that is allowed by the NFL about injuries.

Of course, that was written before news broke late Saturday that Turner looks like he could play. What makes this such a difficult call is his playing makes Jason Snelling a must sit. Unfortunately, the three Thursday games have eliminated the options available for teams to substitute for Snelling.

Week Eleven Start Sit

RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals: The real question is whether to start Benson despite the hip injury if he is active. The match-up is so favorable one would expect a solid 70 yards and a TD even if he splits time to take it easier on his hip.

RB Steve Slaton, Houston Texans: He lost his job for two weeks. Now he is #1 again but plays Monday night against a middling-to-poor Tennessee run defense. The Monday night start plus the uncertainty sowed by his benching means you start another back if you have him or you gamble on a high risk play if you must i.e. start Slaton over a Joseph Addai.

WR Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos: The fantasy commentariat are way down on Marshall following QB Kyle Orton's injured ankle and the subsequent play of back-up QB Chris Sims in last week's game. I'm not convinced Kyle Orton is to Chris Sims as Peyton Manning is to Jim Sorgi. As one sees from Jay Cutler's travails in Chicago, Marshall brings somethign to the success of his QB not the other way around.

RB Jason Snelling, Atlanta Falcons: Start him. With Michael Turner out and Jerious Norwood still battling an injured hip, there is no one else to take the carries. Expect 20 touches. In PPR formats, I can see a Ray Rice-ian like effort - 15 carries and 5-7 receptions.

QB Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals: While the focus is on the poor Oakland run defense and the great opportunity it provides RB Bernard Scott, don't forget Eli Manning managed 3 TD passes in a half against the Raiders. One can easily imagine a more balanced attack if Cedric Benson is out.

Start Sit Cedric Benson

Stephania Bell- ESPN: "While Benson's injury (hip abductor strain) has not appeared serious, he did not practice this week and the rating of 'doubtful' suggests he will not be facing Oakland in Week 11. Let's face it: This is a good opportunity for Benson to rest his hip and gear up for the latter part of the season."

Top 10 Best Rush Defenses

Unlike the pass pass defenses, a good run defense typically merits a serious start/sit decision. This week, Cedric Benson takes his Baltimore match-up to the bench.

A trickier sit decision is RB Kevin Smith against a very stout Pittsburgh run defense. The difference between Smith and Benson is receiving. Smith is the 2nd option in the Lions' passing game whereas Benson is not. (Smith 2nd in receptions with 16. Benson has six and four of those came in Week One.)

The New York Jets face a surprisingly effective Miami rush defense. Sitting Thomas Jones is an easy decision at this point. He turned into a pumpkin. The only question is whether he'd do fantasy players a favor and get hurt so Shonn Greene can take over instead of splitting carries with him.

Rush Rank	Team	RYA	Vs
1	Pittsburgh	53	@DET
2	Miami	58.7	NYJ
3	Baltimore	69.7	CIN
4	Denver	74.3	NE
5	Arizona	79.7	HOU
6	San Francisco	85	ATL
7	Minnesota	89.7	@STL
8	Tennessee	94.3	IND
9	Dallas	95.3	@KC
10	New England	97	@DEN

What Is Cedric Benson Worth?

I just traded Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith for Cincinnati Bengals Rb Cedric Benson. Smith was a 2nd round selection and places the ex-Bear solidly in that area of value.

Hey, wasn't RB Thomas Jones a flop RB in Chicago?

Fantasy Football: Cincinnati RB receptions

When Rudi Johnson was a legitmate 1st round RB, he caught between 15-20 passes from Carson Palmer. Do not take 2009 starting RB Cedric Benson's 20 receptions last season and pro-rate them. He did not have Palmer under center. Nor did he have three slot/downfield WRs either.

RotoSynthesis >> Could Cedric Benson Be a Top-10 Back?

RotoSynthesis >> Could Cedric Benson Be a Top-10 Back?:

"Normally, I don't put much stake in human interest articles, but this one makes me want to take a flier on Benson in a draft or two. Given where he's been available so far, I think he's a worthwhile gamble."

Any player is valuable if he can be obtained cheaply enough. I see no reason Benson couldn't produce the same way he did last season (60 yards per game). The Cincinnati Bengals should have QB Carson Palmer for the whole season and that will free-up the rushing game.