Hot or Not - Week 7 (Start Marshawn Lynch over Ronnie Brown)

Last week's Hot or Not was spot on in predicting good days from Thomas Jones, Brandon Jacobs, Ryan Torain, Johnny Knox, and Pierre Garcon. We also wisely recommended sitting Mike Williams (TB) and Marion Barber (who plays better NFL football than fantasy football converting all 5 of his 3rd or 4th and 1 situations). Our biggest missteps were Vince Young, who was injured early in the game, and DeSean Jackson. Yeah... sorry about DeSean. The only thing worse than benching a player in a huge game is having that player get injured so you don't even get to enjoy future huge games. Anyway, let's look forward, not backward:

HOT


QBs


Jay Cutler (CHI QB) vs. WAS 4
Cutler has only thrown 1 TD since week two. It's been a rough few weeks and the guys at ESPN and CBS Sports are ranking him as a non-starter this week, behind McNabb for example. Washington isn't quite as bad as their #4 most generous secondary ranking, and Cutler will get sacked. But he put together some good drives last week making full use of Johnny Knox. Cutler will connect on a few bombs this weekend. I expect a solid game from Cutler and Knox.


Matt Cassel (KC QB) vs. JAC 2
Cassel has been mediocre all year but ate up the easy matchup against Houston last week. I expect that to continue this week against an equally easy Jacksonville D.


RBs

Knowshon Moreno (DEN RB) vs. OAK 3
He was disappointing last weekend because he was being eased back in after the injury. He should be back at full strength. As a Moreno-owner struggling through all these weeks, this is what you've been waiting for.

Marshawn Lynch (SEA RB) vs. ARZ 4
You may think this is a timeshare between Lynch and Forsett based on the carry totals from last week. But Forsett was in almost exclusively on third downs. Lynch will get a good amount of carries in this easy matchup, making him a must start RB2.

WRs


Dwayne Bowe (KC WR) vs. JAC 1
Bowe will make for a fine sell-high after another big game against this totally beatable secondary.


Robert Meachem (NO WR) vs. CLE 6
Meachem has been slowly increasing his snaps, catches, and yards over the past few weeks. Marques Colston is getting double covered and has become essentially a decoy, opening up the field for Meachem. Start him as a WR2 against Cleveland.


Patrick Crayton (SD WR) vs. NE 5
I think it will help Crayton if Gates plays. The already terrible New England secondary will have a hard time covering Gates over the middle and Crayton on deep routes. Phil Rivers has been unstoppable. Who needs Vincent Jackson? Who needs Malcolm Floyd? Crayton should step right in and have a nice little game. His value is mostly in the short-term because of Floyd's likely return, but for now, in this matchup, you have to roll with Crayton.


TEs


Todd Heap (BAL TE) vs. BUF 1
Heap looks to be healthy enough to start this weekend, and the matchup is just juicy.


Ben Watson (CLE TE) vs. NO 7
Watson is leading the Browns in targets, catches, and yards and that should continue in this solid matchup against New Orleans. And you know Cleveland will be passing the ball as they play catchup against the Saints.



NOT


QBs


Matt Ryan (ATL QB) vs. CIN 26
Cincinnati is coming off their bye and will be prepared to shut down Matty Ice in this matchup.


Donovan McNabb (WAS QB) vs. CHI 30
McNabb is a play-maker who occasionally pulls some tricks out of his sleeve, but this matchup is too hard. McNabb is a matchup play, and this isn't the right matchup.


RBs


Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller (BUF RBs) vs. BAL 26
Jackson and Spiller-owners must be ecstatic about Lynch's departure, as well they should. But this isn't the week. They cannibalize each other's carries, making them only startable in nice matchups, which this isn't. If you have to start one, start Jackson, but I'm avoiding the situation for now.


Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams (MIA RBs) vs. PIT 31
Both guys have been really disappointing. Brown hasn't had double digit fantasy points since week one. If you have Brown, you probably drafted him in the 3rd round so you have no choice but to start him. And that's fine - he could get you a serviceable 60 yards. But if you have any other options (maybe you picked up Deion Branch, Danario Alexander, Chris Ivory, Mike Williams), bench Brown and Williams.


WRs

Donald Driver (GB WR) vs. MIN 23
Driver averages just 60 yards in games against Minnesota, with totals of 63 and 55 yards with no TDs last year. He's also dealing with a nagging injury. If you can afford to bench him, do so.


TEs


Visanthe Shiancoe (MIN TE) vs. GB 13
This may be obvious to some of you who have already dropped Shiancoe, but others may have read the news about the Vikings staff making a concerted effort to get Shiancoe the ball more. I'm not buying it. Randy Moss is taking away all of Shiancoe's production.


Kellen Winslow (TB TE) vs. STL 31
Winslow has been disappointing this year. He's getting you 40 or 50 yards per game, which is not awful, but has zero TDs. I'm starting Ben Watson over him in two leagues this week. Plus, St. Louis is surprisingly very tough against TEs.