Can you feel the tension build every time you’re deciding on who to put into your starting line-up? Me too my friend. That could only mean one thing; it is crunch time.

It’s that time of the year where the championship money is within your grasp and the yearlong bragging rights are on the line. Your fantasy football league playoffs are only a handful of weeks away and you need that extra little something that will put you over the top. Here are few suggestions for you.

Start’em if you got’em

Marshawn Lynch RB (BUF) - Everything you watched him do last week, expect to see it again because the Dolphin’s just plain stink against the run. In fact, the only team in the league that is worse than Miami in that category is the Broncos (more on them later). Lynch had his break out game last week and tasted success NFL style. Look for him to build on last weeks performance with 125+ yards and one touchdown rushing with 4 catches for 50 yard and a touchdown receiving.

Final stats: 61 and a TD rushing. 3 for 24 receiving.
Final thoughts: Looks like Miami came to play defense this week.

Justin Fargas RB (OAK) - This guy has been quietly getting it done the last few weeks and that should continue this week at home against Chicago. Believe it or not Oakland is 4th in the league at rushing the ball. Meanwhile, Da’ Bears are giving up 130 yards per game on the ground. I don’t see why Justin can’t post at least 100 and punch it in for a touchdown.

Final stats: 81 yards rushing, 5 catches for 23 receiving and zero touchdowns.
Final thoughts: Oakland had a hard time getting across the fifty. Must have been an ugly game to watch.

Sit’em if you’ve got em

Maurice Jones-Drew RB (JAC) - Unless you are desperate for a starter this week you better put him down against the Titans. They are playing lights-out by only allowing 66 yards per game on the ground. Add to that the fact that he is still splitting time with Fred Taylor and whoever else Jack decides to hand the ball to around the goalline and you have yourself a ticket to a low scoring week. Expect 40 yards and a big fat goose egg in the touchdown column.

Final stats: 101 and a TD rushing. 3 for 28 receiving.
Final thoughts: Had I known Haynesworth for Tennessee was going to be a late scratch, I might have look elsewhere for this pick.

Steve Smith WR (CAR) - Guess what Steve had the last time he faced the Falcons? One catch for 10 yards. Ouch! Besides that he really hasn’t been doing much of anything for a few weeks now and it is hard to imagine that he will do much better especially with the quarterback situation. Even if they play Vinnie and gloves will both likely be playing at less than 100%. And do you really want to put your playoff hopes in the hands of a third string QB if they can’t? I’ll let you answer that. As much as it hurts I think it is best to play it safe and sit the guy down until things get a little more stable for the Panthers. I doubt he gets much more than 4 catches for 45 yards and no touchdown.

Final stats: 5 for 61 receiving
Final thoughts: Sucks if you own Steve Smith right now.

Tom Brady QB (NE) - He is on a bye and I thought it would be interesting to see what his name looked like underneath the sit’em headline. He’s not on my team so I think it looks pretty damn good. In my lock of the week TB goes for zero yards, zero touchdowns and still gets mentioned at least once on every NFL pre and post game show.

Sleepers: don’t be surprised if…

…Priest Holmes RB (KC) relives a little of the glory days this week against the Broncos worst ranked rushing defense. He won’t get all of the snaps but I bet he gets a big enough chunk to make him a solid number two running back in most leagues. The guy is a warrior and has been proving people wrong constantly. There is no reason why he shouldn’t be able to muster at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. Yep, I said two.

Final stats: 65 yards and 0 TD’s rushing. 2 for 14 receiving.
Final thoughts: Missed this one but who woulda thunk it. Like Miami above the Broncos defense looking to climbing out of the rushing defense cellar with a solid performance.

…the Oakland Raiders Defense picks off Griese at least three times and returns one of them for a score. The Raiders have an excellent pass defense. They are fourth in defending the pass and are sixth in the league in picks (and we all know how well the Bears rockslingers protect the ball). Even if the Raiders don’t have the best rushing defense in the league, the Bears are 31st so it shouldn’t really matter. Raiders get 16 points allowed, 2 sacks, 3 int’s and a touchdown.

Final stats: 17 points allowed, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 0 int’s and 0 touchdowns.
Final thoughts: They held the Bears to 3 points until 3:11 left in the game when they gave up a 59 yard reception and then rushing touchdown from a turnover inside their five yard line. I am surprised there weren’t any picks especially when Grossman made it in to the game.

As always, that is not all my friend. There are a few other stops you should make before finalizing your starting lineup.

First, make sure you stop by and see how the Fantasy Football Librarian can help you. Every week she posts all of the start’em sit’em articles, player ranking posts and waiver wire lists that she can find so that you don’t have to hunt for them yourself. Check her out and tell her the Goat says hi.

Second, you can get more in-depth NFL player projections throughout the week by checking out the Bruno Boys website over on MVN.com.

Third, be on the lookout for the weekly fantasy football start’em sit’em podcast I co-host with Marc Caviglia.

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