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The NFL bye weeks are here and are going to hurt many Fantasy owners this week and the weeks to that follow. Quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers are on byes and many owners are scrambling to find a starter for Week 8.
By this point of the season, many teams have snatched up all of the stud quarterbacks for their teams, but in many leagues, the players listed below are still on the waiver wire. Many owners are considering taking one of these guys to replace their starter while they are on a bye this week. Let’s start with the “start ‘em” guys and work our way down to the “sit ‘em” guys.
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Start: Eli Manning
In Fantasy Football, how particular players play against certain teams is a good reason why they should be in your starting line-up from week to week. Eli Manning is in line to have a very good week against the New York Giants’ division rivals, The Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 5 against the Eagles, Manning’s team lost but he had a decent Fantasy day: Throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns (three interceptions though). After winning their first game of the season last week, look for Manning to have a good game after getting the monkey off of his back. Manning should throw for 300 plus yards and at least two touchdowns.
Start: Terrelle Pryor
Sunday in Oakland is going to be a classic story of a player going against the team that he grew up watching when he was young. Oakland Raiders’ quarterback, Terrelle Pryor, is going to play against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. Pryor grew up in the nearby town of Jeannette, PA and was a star high-school athlete in the area. After a bye week, look for Pryor and the Raiders to be very well prepared for the Steelers in Week Eight. After getting to watch and study how the Steelers shut down mobile quarterback Geno Smith, I can see Pryor learning from how they shut him down to have a successful Sunday afternoon. Look for Pryor to throw for over 200 yards and either run or throw for a touchdown.
Sit: Josh Freeman
I am a person that believes in second chances. In the case of Josh Freeman getting his second start for the Minnesota Vikings, as a Fantasy owner, I am not giving him a second chance. Freeman’s Vikings will take on their division rivals the Green Bay Packers. Freeman again will be in the national spot light on Sunday Night Football and again will not have a very good game. The Packers will focus on shutting down the Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson. This will force Freeman to throw the ball, which he has not done very well in the previous few games that we saw him try.
Sit: Alex Smith
Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs are still unbeaten in this NFL season. Smith has really helped the Chiefs solidify their quarterback situation. I love how Smith has managed the offense since joining the Chiefs, however, I do not like him in Week Eight. The Chiefs will take on a Cleveland Browns’ pass defense that has had a very good season up to this point. Look, the Chiefs are a team that is focused around the play of Jamaal Charles. Look for Charles to have a big game and Smith to have a consistent and average game. I look for Smith to not hit 200 yards passing and maybe just throw one touchdown. Again, it will probably go to Charles on a screen pass.
Dom DeCarlo is a Fantasy blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him @DomDecarlo1, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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