So either round one of the playoffs has past, or you are in round one right now. Either way the fantasy football playoffs are in motion. A lot of high scoring from unsuspecting receivers took place last week and there were also some duds from the top tier of wide receivers. Hopefully you were not eliminated from your playoff run from such players. There are some tough matchups this week for the top receivers so be careful when planning your strategy to dominate. Here are some receivers you may want to consider benching:
Victor Cruz, New York Giants
Cruz has quickly fallen from a top five wide receiver to out of the top 20. It is hard to put any of the blame on him for this poor season he is having. It is much easier to blame quarterback Eli Manning who has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns so far. Cruz has done his salsa dance four times this season and the last one was way back in Week 4 against the Chiefs. This week he matches up against the top defense against wide receivers in the Seattle Seahawks. There is little to no chance for Cruz to have any type of solid fantasy performance for this week. There is no reason to have him starting.
Projection: Five receptions, 62 yards, zero touchdowns
Mike Wallace, Miami Dolphins
After a long streak of not producing much of anything, Wallace had two games in a row with double digit fantasy scoring. Then of course last week against his old team Pittsburgh, he has two catches for 19 yards. As an owner of Wallace in my fantasy league there is nothing much more frustrating than his inconsistent performances. Especially when I decide to sit him, he has an amazing day. When I start Wallace, he has an abysmal day. I will be sitting him this week so maybe that is a sign for you all to start him! All jokes aside, it is tough to start a player like Wallace with all of his inconsistencies and horrible catching ability. I wouldn’t risk starting him this week.
Projection: Four receptions, 35 yards, zero touchdowns
Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins
The Redskins offense is on a landslide right now and has no sign of recovering. There are so many issues with this team that are on and off the field and it is affecting how this team performs week after week. Robert Griffin III is struggling with his injuries and beat up body that he is having trouble putting the ball where it needs to be. In turn, this affects the play of Garcon and the other receivers on the team. Garcon hasn’t seen a touchdown in four weeks but still sees plenty of throws his way. He is a must start in PPR leagues but in standard scoring leagues, you may want to consider other options.
Projection: Six receptions, 71 yards, zero touchdowns
James Jones, Green Bay Packers
Jones is in the same boat as fellow receiver Jordy Nelson. Both have seen zero touchdowns since Week 8 and are struggling to get a high number of receptions and yards. I would understand to think it is a very appetizing matchup to start Jones this week because he is up against a weak Cowboys secondary. But the reality is that without a healthy Aaron Rodgers, this offense is incapable of doing much of any scoring at all. The word has yet to be released if Rodgers will play this week, let alone the rest of the season. Even if he does play, you have to think that he will be just a little rusty. Jones looks like a better play if Rodgers does start but either way I think it would be a safe play to bench him.
Projections: Four receptions, 40 yards, zero touchdowns
A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
This one is a bit of a wild card. I understand that it is near impossible to sit a wide receiver of this caliber, especially during the playoffs. The main reason I even put Green on this list was because of his performance the last time he was against the Steelers. He had six receptions for 41 yards which was his second lowest total yards in a game this season. The game was also home in Cincinnati. This week the game is in Pittsburgh and their defense is not too shabby especially when they play at home. The Bengals are hot right now but when it comes to division rivalry games, anything can happen. I figure you will start Green no matter what but just think about it before you make any final decisions.
Projection: Five receptions, 40 yards, one touchdown