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Sitting Dwayne Bowe was not a popular choice last week. Four receptions and 30 yards later and I think we have our answer as to whether it was the right move. I figured the KC Chiefs passing offense will need a little time to get acclimated. There is no one star centerpiece of the whole deal -- Alex Smith threw to nine different receivers last Sunday. Nine! That tells you what you need to know about this offense -- it can be a fantasy killer at times.
This week the Chiefs play the Dallas Cowboys who let the Giants put up 31 points on them. The Cowboys also forced a whopping six turnovers (three picks and three fumbles) so this is especially important to hold onto the ball.
Start these players
RB Jamaal Charles: Duh. You start him every game. He injured his quad last weekend in Jacksonville but appears to be fine. He did not practice on Wednesday but did on Thursday. Jamaal said he wouldn't miss this game for anything. There seems to be little concern about his availability. As always he is going to be a big part of the offense. He had 20 touches last week in less than three quarters of action before exiting with the injury.
WR Dwayne Bowe: I sat him last week because I didn't think against Jacksonville the Chiefs would need to be scoring many points. It was less about the Bowe vs. the Jaguars defense and more about a low-scoring game in general. This week, the Cowboys can put points on the board and do it quickly. I want to avoid the phrase "shootout" but I can see the Chiefs being forced to move the ball down the field with more urgency than what we saw against Jacksonville. That brings Bowe back into the picture.
QB Alex Smith: OK, if you're starting Alex Smith you probably have some issues with your fantasy team. You're desperate. For many of the same reasons detailed above, Alex could be a decent fantasy option this week. The Chiefs will have a number of opportunities to score in a game like this. If you're willing to risk seeing a game where he throws for 150 yards and no touchdowns (which is just as possible), you might consider Alex.
K Ryan Succop: Yeah, the Chiefs are 3-for-3 in the red zone but whatever. Ryan Succop can take you to fantasy glory! (For real though, he's really accurate and he's on a bit of a roll right now.)
Chiefs defense: Grr, I struggled with this one. Because I think the Cowboys will put up at least a couple touchdowns I was considering putting the defense under the "sit" section. But last week they were just too good. I'm a believer. They can get to the quarterback and once they do that they can force Tony Romo into mistakes and create turnovers. That's the idea there. I believe! Play the Chiefs D!
Sit these players
WR Donnie Avery: With this offense I don't see multiple receivers having a big game. This week I think Dwayne Bowe will be that one, leaving Avery out in the cold. The good thing about Avery is that he will have a role in the Chiefs offense. He had two receptions last week but more targets. He's not a threat yet but he's becoming part of the offense which is the first step. I do not see him being the deep ball guy that you might think he is.
TE Anthony Fasano: Some of the dump off passes that I thought would be going to Fasano last week went to fullback Anthony Sherman, who led the team with 44 yards receiving. He had two catches for eight yards last week. I thought his role would be bigger. He's not a 100-yard type of guy but Alex Smith likes throwing to his tight ends so you focus in on him. For now, sit him.
WR Dexter McCluster: He was the second leading receiver last week with three receptions for 43 yards, making him mentionable in fantasy. His longest play was 21 yards. I do not think McCluster will ever "blow up". It will be more of these types of games -- 30-40 yards on 3-4 catches. He has five rushing and receiving touchdowns in three years so he is not a threat to score.
FB Anthony Sherman: Four receptions for a team-leading 44 yards last week whet your appetite? Think about what you're doing. You're considering a fullback in fantasy football. Stop it.