Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 12: Cowboys vs. Giants

Suddenly, Sunday’s Cowboys-Giants game could have significant playoff ramifications, with one team charging hard and the other looking to stave off a collapse.

by Daniel Kelley

Nov 24, 2013, 1:40 PM UTC

Jim McIsaac

After their Week 6 loss, the New York Giants were 0-6 and dreaming not of a playoff spot, but of an eventual, theoretical win. After their Week 9 win, the Dallas Cowboys were 5-4 and had a 1.5-game lead, and only needed to hold serve to have a reasonable chance at the NFC East crown. Sunday, the teams are only separated by a game (the Cowboys are 5-5; the Giants are 4-6), both are looking up at the Philadelphia Eagles in the division, and Sunday's game -- with the Giants hosting the Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. ET -- could have huge implications in the NFC East. It could also, of course, have huge implications in fantasy leagues, as there are all sorts of fantasy-relevant players in the game:

Cowboys

Start in every league: Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant, Dan Bailey

Start if you're desperate: Terrance Williams, Jason Witten, Defense/special teams

Bench: Miles Austin

The Giants have had basically two separate seasons on defense; they let everyone produce and score on them while they were losing, but since turning their season around, they have been significantly better. Regardless, you start your studs, and that includes Romo, who should be on the field even after being held to 128 passing yards in his last game. ... When Murray is healthy, he’s has big-time potential, and he seems to be healthy this week. ... Speaking of studs, Bryant has been held to 10 combined fantasy points in his last two games, but still, it’s Dez Bryant. Don’t get cute. ... Bailey has been fantasy’s No. 9 kicker, and hasn’t missed since Week 4.

Williams‘ value has been tremendously touchdown-dependent, though this is a guy with five scores in his last six games, so it’s sort of okay to rely on something you get all the time. Still, with Austin maybe back, it’s possible Williams gets his touches cut into, and that could hurt his scoring opportunities. ... Witten has become much more boom-or-bust this year than in years past, with three games of 16 or more fantasy points and six of four or fewer. You’re probably starting him, but it’s worth being aware that he’s not the super-stud he’s been in the past. ... The Cowboys’ defense has also been fairly boom-or-bust, with two games of negative-7 or worse but five in double figures, but they get to face a Giants’ team that has given up points to opposing defenses like there’s a pay bonus in it for them.

It looks like Austin will return for this game, but even if he does, it’s hard to predict he’ll get many touches, not with Williams on the rise in that offense. Wait and see how they use him.

Giants

Start in every league: Eli Manning, Andre Brown, Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle

Start if you’re desperate: Defense/special teams

Bench: Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Myers, Josh Brown

No team has allowed more points to fantasy quarterbacks than the Cowboys; though Manning has had a really rough year, a game against the Cowboys almost always promises to be a shootout, and Manning could have a big day. ... Brown has had at least 21 touches in each of his two games, has 25 fantasy points in that time, is the only viable Giants’ running back, and gets to face the worst-against-opposing-running-backs Cowboys; start him in 100 percent of leagues. More than 100 percent if you can. ... Cruz is still a top-flight wide receiver, even with only one hundred-yard game and no touchdowns since Week 4, and in what promises to be a high-scoring game, he could get back on the board. ... Nicks is banged up this week and could miss, but even if he plays, Randle has pretty obviously surpassed him, and a less-than-full-time Nicks means Randle will get more touches.

The Giants’ defense was historically bad in the early part of the season, and has since played itself almost into must-start status, and would be this week if it weren’t going against a high-scoring Dallas team. There’s still potential, but this might not be the week to ride a suddenly hot unit.

Nicks might not even play Sunday; even if he does, he won’t be at full strength. ... Myers has been horrific this year, with only 11 fantasy points since Week 3. ... Brown has improved lately, with 45 fantasy points in his last four games, but overall ranks 28th among fantasy kickers on the season.