Starting or sitting the right players every week is often the difference between winning and losing in fantasy football. A number of factors go into deciding whether or not a player will perform well that day, such as the opponent he faces, the teammates he has, or even if the game is home or away. Your sports editor will break it down week by week, and here are his top starts and sits of the week:

START

QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens will be traveling to face the Oakland Raiders, a team whose secondary is not a sure thing against the pass. Also, Oakland’s defensive lineman and linebackers will be adept at stopping the run, forcing Flacco and his receivers to make plays through the air. Look for Flacco to be a top fantasy quarterback this week.

RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings – Watch out, Peterson is back. He will be playing his first game at home since last season, and the unlucky opponent is the Detroit Lions. Obviously, Peterson will want to have a big game in front of his home crowd, and his determination alone should be enough to scare teams.

SIT

QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers – This season will most likely be an uphill battle for Newton, who lost his best receiver to injury during the preseason. Now, Newton gets to face J.J. Watt and a talented Houston defense, and will struggle to move the ball all day. I doubt Newton’s ability to be an impact performer on this day.

RB Matt Forte, Chicago Bears – Forte is the most explosive player on the Bears’ offense, but he may struggle to get it going against a stingy Arizona Cardinals’ defense. With quarterback Jay Cutler unable to open any running room through the passing game, I don’t expect Forte to be a very valuable player on this day.

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