Tupac rapped about it. Bob Dylan sang about it. Ghandi brought it about. What am I talking about? Change.
Change is a constant in fantasy football. Whether it's bye weeks, injuries, trades or whatever, a fantasy roster is always in flux. You have to be able to adapt on the fly if you want to survive. For that reason, putting forth the optimal lineup every week is critical for success.
Here are a few players worth starting this week and some to avoid:
Worth It
QB: Mike Glennon
In all likelihood, you have a starter firmly entrenched at QB. But if you're an unlucky Tom Brady owner or your guy is on a bye, you could do worse than Glennon as a fill-in. Over 300 yards and two touchdowns last week, and he will be facing a New Orleans Saints pass defense that ranks 28th in the league, despite all of the offseason moves to shore up this area. The second-year passer has looked solid in limited action this year, and has a good touchdown to turnover ratio for his career.
RB: Giovani Bernard
Just because it's obvious doesn't mean it isn't true... "Write that down."
Bernard has three straight games of double digit fantasy points. He is averaging 18 carries and four receptions a game through the first month of the season. That type of workload is hard to come by. Remember, fantasy football goodness is a balance between talent and opportunity. Bernard has both. Plus, the Bengals are playing the Patriots this week, and if you've been paying attention to the season, you know that the sky is falling in Boston right now. The New England offense looks dreadful thanks to an offensive line that can't block and receivers who can't catch, two generally important things when it comes to football. That means a Patriots defense that is giving up almost 130 yards on the ground a game will be on the field a lot. Gio is good to go this week.
WR: Wes Welker
Complete gut call here, so don't send me hate mail if it doesn't work out. Something about Denver coming off a bye week following a heartbreaking loss to the Seahawks has my Spidey-Fantasy-Football-Senses tingling. He had a solid six catches for 60 yards in his debut in week three. Arizona will be paying a lot of attention to Demaryius and Julius Thomas, especially in the red zone where fellow pass catcher Emmanuel Sanders is not a threat. I think Welker sneaks in for a touchdown and a solid day overall.
TE: Rob Gronkowski
Remember that time I said the New England Patriots' offense looks terrible? Yeah, I'm sticking by that. A lot of the Patriots' struggles have to do with Gronkowski not being 100%. I'm not saying he's going to be completely healthy this week, but we're one month into the season and we've yet to see the Big Guy have one of his patented Big Guy games. He's due for a fantasy explosion, even if it comes solely from red zone looks. Don't get cute. Start Gronkowski. The Gronk Smash is coming.
Avoid:
QB: Nick Foles
I'm all about overdue performances this week. The Eagles, coming off a loss to the 49ers in which their offense did zilch, are playing a St. Louis Rams team that is looooooong overdue for a pass rush party (not to be confused with a pants party). With a defensive line filled with former first-round picks (even with Chris Long on the short term IR list), the Rams have only managed seven sacks as a team this season. Robert Quinn hasn't registered a single sack yet after putting up 19 last year. Going against a shaky Philly O-Line is just what the doctor ordered. On top of that, Foles has been hit a lot this season and may be dealing with a shoulder injury. Napoleon Dynamite's NFL look-a-like is a no-go for me this week.
RB: Reggie Bush
Joique Bell is eating into Bush's action more and more. Bush only has one double digit fantasy game this season and is playing a Buffalo Bills defense that ranks third against the rush. His production relies heavily on catching passes out of the backfield, but through four weeks, Bush is only averaging 28 receiving yards a game. That's just not going to cut it.
WR: Eric Decker
Decker has had an up-and-down start to the season so far. Two games under 50 yards receiving including a one reception effort in week three. I know he played last week and even caught a touchdown, but hamstring injuries can linger. And you never want a lingerer. The Jets are playing the San Diego Chargers this week, who have allowed only a single 100-yard receiver all season, and that was way back in week one. Throw in the inevitable red zone Geno Smith turnover and starting Decker is a recipe for disaster this week.
TE: Greg Olsen
After a strong start to the season, Olsen has tapered off a bit of late - just seven receptions over the last two games. Carolina's passing attack has struggled as defenses no longer have to worry about Cam Newton's mobility as he continues to recover from nagging injuries. Outside of rookie Kelvin Benjamin, the Panthers have not had a consistent receiving threat this season. And for all of the fair criticism Chicago's defense deserves, they have yet to allow a touchdown to an opposing tight end this season.
