Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system. For your final starting lineup decisions, check my weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes:Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Listed as a start 'em last week, Boyd went off for 123 yards, one score and 28.3 fantasy points. I'd keep him in your lineups this week, as the Pitt product will face a Ravens defense that's allowed an average of 131.4 yards and more than 21 fantasy points per game to opposing slot receivers this season. Consider Boyd a borderline WR1/WR2.
Despite the fact that he's scored at least one touchdown in all but one game, Chark has still been underrated wideouts in fantasy football this season. He needs to be in starting lineups agaainst the Saints, who have allowed 194.4 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and an average of more than 40 fantasy points per game to wideouts.
Fitzgerald's numbers haven't been great over the last couple of weeks, but I'd stick with him in what could be a high-scoring affair against the Falcons. The veteran ranks first among wideouts in routes run, and his 8.8 targets per game is 10th. Atlanta has allowed three touchdown catches and the eighth-most fantasy points to slot wideouts in 2019.
Moore has scored 12-plus fantasy points in four of his first five games of the season, including a 17.9-point performance against this week's foe, the Buccaneers. Their defense has surrendered five touchdowns and over 27 fantasy points to receivers who line up out wide. After five weeks, Moore ranks third in routes run out wide (155 out of 177).
The hype around McLaurin has cooled, but he's still a nice flex option this week in a plus matchup against the Dolphins. Their defense has allowed four touchdowns to receivers lined out wide, which is where McLaurin has run 82.5 percent of his routes. Overall, Miami has given up nearly 40 fantasy points a game to enemy wide receivers.
Start 'Em:Will Fuller at Kansas City Chiefs, Michael Gallup at New York Jets
Sleepers:Preston Williams vs. Washington Redskins, Mohamed Sanu at Arizona Cardinals
Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
Sanders has struggled in recent weeks, posting three fantasy points or fewer in two of his last three games. He's a risk/reward flex against a Titans defense that's been tough on wideouts. In fact, Tennessee has allowed just one wideout to finish better than 20th in fantasy points. The Broncos have also averaged just 18 points a game in 2019.
Jeffery has scored 11-plus points in two straight games, so he'll be a likely flex starter in many leagues. However, he is likely to face shadow coverage from Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes and could lose more targets to Zach Ertz, who should crush the Vikes. Minnesota has also allowed the third-fewest yards per catch (10.3) to wideouts.
Landry is coming off a mediocre performance in a loss to the Niners with just four catches, and he hasn't scored a touchdown over his first five games. I'd temper expectations against the Seahawks, who have given up an average of 46.2 yards a game and just one score to slot wideouts. Landry runs 70.6 percent of his routes from the slot.
Williams continues to struggle, as he's averaged an unimpressive 9.3 fantasy points per game. He also ranks just 41st among wideouts in targets, and his 0.42 points in the red zone leaves much to be desired. I'd keep him on the bench against the Steelers, who have allowed one score and the third-fewest points to receivers who line out wide.
Listed as a sit 'em last week, Davis produced just 4.8 fantasy points. He has another tough matchup ahead, as the Titans face the Broncos and their tough pass defense. He'll be lined up against shutdown corner Chris Harris Jr., who has helped limit receivers who line up outside to no touchdowns and just 17 fantasy points a game.
Sit 'Em:Marvin Jones at Green Bay Packers (Mon.), Robby Anderson vs. Dallas Cowboys
Busts:Brandin Cooks vs. San Francisco 49ers, Marquise Brown vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
