FantasyNFL

Start These 11 Players In Fantasy This Week

by Pat Mayo | 11:45 am, October 18th, 2012

Each week, Pat Mayo of RotoExperts.com will bring you 11 fantasy football players with favorable matchups. Whether it’s a wide receiver facing a weak-kneed secondary, a running back taking on a dinged-up front seven, or a team defense preparing to eat a cupcake rookie quarterback, these are the guys who are poised for a big fantasy output this Sunday.

This week, he likes a resurgent quarterback, a receiver too many people cast aside, and not one, but two Bills. See the full list below. All photos via Getty:

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1.1. Josh Freeman, QB, Buccaneers

On the heels of his best Fantasy outing in what seems like years, Freeman now gets to feast on another cupcake matchup. Even with a full two weeks to prepare, it’s not like New Orleans went out and stockpiled actual talent. So expect them to be their usual crappy selves on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints have allowed six touchdowns and 673 passing yards to opposing QBs in their past two contests. Plus, it appears that Freeman is starting to develop a good rapport with Vincent Jackson, so that helps.

2.2. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Bills

Picking on the Titans is becoming a weekly crutch, but it’s made of steel and very reliable. Only Fitzpatrick’s Bills are more generous to opposing quarterbacks. Tennessee hasn’t ceded fewer than 17 Fantasy points to a QB in any game this season and has shown a glimmer of improvement over six weeks. Fitzpatrick has struggled in Buffalo’s last two outings – against the 49ers and Cardinals – but he always flashes some of the ol’ Fitzmagic against weaker defenses. He’s dominated in outings against Kansas City, New England and Cleveland this season.

3.3. Trent Richardson, RB, Browns

I never expected Richardson to be this good. I thought he’d be a serviceable second running back with limited upside, but that just simply hasn’t been the case. He’s a Fantasy superstar, and now gets a date with the Colts run defense that just made Shonn Greene look like Eric Dickerson. Shonn Greene! Coming into the game, there was good argument that he was the worst back in football. Richardson suffered a rib injury last Sunday, but looks like he’ll be uniform in Indy. Although, he may lose a few carries to Montario Hardesty, it will only be to give him a breather and keep him upright.

4.4. Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys

Since you’ve just used your number one waiver priority on him, you may as well give him the start. I’ve never been a Jones supporter – mainly due to his history of injuries and general ineffectiveness - but a match up with the Panthers can make just about anyone look good. Carolina has put forth a respectable effort keeping running backs from crossing the goaline, however, they’ve been gashed on the ground between the 10s. Plus, the Cats have been the worst team in football guarding screens. Their 46 receptions allowed to backs is a league high, as is the two receiving scores against.

5.5. Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders

The Raiders return to the Black Hole is great news for McFadden owners. Despite a relatively disappointing season to date, DMC has been at his most productive at home, torching the Chargers through the air week one and showcased his elusiveness against the Steelers in week three. And his Bay Area success should be paid forward taking on the Jaguars. Jacksonville has ceded 25 points per game to running backs and have yet to encounter a foe with McFadden's game-breaking speed.

6.6. Kenny Britt, WR, Titans

I don’t understand why Britt was cut from so many Fantasy squads the first few weeks. The gigantic discount he came at during the draft was part suspension related, but mostly due to injury issues. Those maladies were expected to persist for the first few weeks. If you drafted him, that’s something you should have expected. Now, six weeks into the season, and it finally seems like Britt is approaching full health. He made his triumphant return to the endzone last week and squaring off with a porous Bills defense, should produce similar, if not even better, results.

7.7. Donnie Avery, WR, Colts

Browns CB Joe Haden had a rough go in his return from a four-game suspension. Who could blame him, though? A.J. Green is the Terminator. He can’t be stopped by anyone. Except possibly Jets John Conner. Reggie Wayne can though, as we witnessed last week in New York. Taking away Andrew Luck’s favorite receiver forces him to his second most trusted option: Donnie Avery. While the results have yet to impress, Luck has hurled the ball in Avery’s direction 29 times over the last three games. And if Haden can limit Wayne, that number could grow even larger.

8.8. Devery Henderson, WR, Saints

It appears like Jimmy Graham and Lance Moore will both be sidelined against Tampa, making Henderson a terrific option. Of course, make sure they’re both inactive come Sunday, but if they are, Drew Brees can’t throw it to Marques Colston on every snap. And the Saints won’t be running either. They don’t rush well as a team as it is and the Bucs' stinginess against opposing RBs only compounds the problem. Tampa has held backs to just 3.2 yards per carry. If Brees goes airborne 40+ times, a heavy chunk of them will in Henderson’s direction, and with the speed to get behind secondaries, he’ll be able to translate those targets into a massive game.

9.9. Scott Chandler, TE, Bills

Quarterbacks have been so successful against the Titans working through their tight ends. Tennessee has granted eight scores to the position, and there’s nothing Chandler does better than scoring. He’s like Burt Reynolds in 1977. Chandler has already grabbed four touchdowns, all coming against teams that rank inside the Top 10 in points allowed to TEs: The Jets, Chiefs and New England.

10.10. Raiders D/ST

Playing defensive roulette won’t exactly leave you dead eyed like Chris Walken in Deer Hunter, but there will be remnants of emotional scarring after 17 weeks. The Raiders are certainly a gamble, but never miss an opportunity to exploit a great situation. Jacksonville will be jet lagged traveling three time zones west, and it’s not like people are routinely confusing them with the 1999 Rams. (Not even the blind.) Allowing just 43 yards on the ground in two home contests, Oakland’s suffocation of Maurice Jones-Drew leaves Blaine Gabbert to dictate the offense. He may not try to do it, but every ball not thrown directly into the ground will probably end up in the Raiders grasp. It’s too bad bounce passes can’t be picked off.

11.11. Josh Scobee, K, Jaguars

As long as the Raiders don’t turn all their interceptions to the house, Jacksonville will linger long enough to pile up a few field goal chances - Oakland is giving up slightly under 12 points a game to kickers. Great news for Scobee: all he needs is an opportunity. He’s converted all nine of his attempts this season and hasn’t pushed one wide since last November.

Join Scott “The King” Engel and Jake “All in Kid” Ciely for a live Gameday Chat Powered by Google+ Hangouts on RotoExperts.com this Sunday from 9;30 am to 12:30 pm ET. Click here for more info.

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