Fantasy corner

Each Friday, assistant sports editors Scott Thurston and Greg Lee will answer your fantasy football questions, dispensing lineup and roster advice based on their experiences and statistical analysis. This week's dilemmas:

Q: Who starts this week: Randy Moss, who can't seem to get the ball - but he's still Randy Moss - or Santana Moss against the woeful Seattle secondary?
MARK B, Shelburne, Vt.

ST: Mark, I'd actually give the edge to Santana here (which shows you how shockingly unproductive Randy has been, especially as a big-play guy). To your point, the Seattle secondary allows above-average WR fantasy points, and the Miami secondary, while nothing special, has been beaten for just two WR touchdowns in the last four games. It may just be a matter of time before Matt Cassel starts clicking with Randy, but I wouldn't count on that happening Sunday.

Q: Who are your playoff sleepers? As in, who do you think I can take from the scrap heap of available free agents who have favorable matchups in the last few weeks? Thanks!!
DAN COVEY, Palm Bay, Fla.

GL: Dan, this is a tough one, but I would think Saints running back Pierre Thomas will get more carries with the pending suspension of Deuce McAllister. The Saints have very favorable matchups down the stretch. In non-keeper leagues, you should dust off the old Cadillac (if you hadn't already), as Buccaneers RB Carnell Williams is being rushed back from injury to help out the banged-up backfield. Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick closes the season with the Browns and Chiefs.

Q: The eternal question of better matchup vs. better player. Consider: Chris Johnson vs. the Jets, Steve Slaton at Cleveland, or Warrick Dunn at Detroit. And Dwayne Bowe vs. Buffalo, Justin Gage vs. the Jets, Donnie Avery vs. Chicago, or Bernard Berrian at Jacksonville?
GARETH GOH, Boston

ST: Gareth, I've always adhered to the "never sit your studs" philosophy, generally anyone selected in the first couple of rounds. If the players are close (two guys who are No. 2 backs), go with the matchup. That said, in your case, even though the Lions are horrible against the run (last in the NFL), it's tough to sit Johnson in favor of Dunn. And he will find room to run vs. Cleveland. Picking two from your receivers, go with Bowe, who has a nice thing going with Tyler Thigpen and was targeted 16 times (seven in the red zone) vs. New Orleans, and Berrian, who has a great matchup against a dreadful secondary.

Q: Is Maurice Jones-Drew a must-play each week now? He has been scoring TDs lately but he has struggled vs. good defensive teams.
TOM, Stoneham

GL: Tom, in examining the Jaguars' schedule, I think it would be a wise move to start the explosive back. With Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard struggling in the passing game, the offense needs to ride Jones-Drew's shoulders.

Q: I have both Larry Johnson and Willis McGahee and only have room to play one of them. It seems like every time I play McGahee, he has a stinker, and every time I sit him, he plays awesome. Should I dedicate the spot to one of them and try to trade the other, and whom should I try to deal? Or should I try to play the matchups week in and week out?
CHRIS, Chelmsford

ST: Chris, I understand your frustrations with these two guys. As I've written before, it's tough to count on McGahee, who would be a No. 1 back if he could only stay on the field. Johnson will battle Jamaal Charles for carries, but he has a favorable schedule (including Oakland and Denver after Sunday's game vs. Buffalo) and Thigpen's emergence works to his advantage. Keep both (and your options open week to week).

Q: For QB, I have Joe Flacco from Baltimore and Sage Rosenfels from Houston. I need to activate Big Ben Roethlisberger from Pittsburgh, so the question is who to dump? Sage disappointed me last week (I also have WRs Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter from Houston - so I was hoping for some high-scoring explosions vs. Indy). Who goes - Flacco or Rosenfels?
B.S. BLACK, Chelsea

GL: If your league penalizes you for turnovers, then Sage must go, period!

Q: I have Jay Cutler and Drew Brees on my roster, and I'd like to use one of them as trade bait once the deadline approaches. Any thoughts?
JOHNNY DOYLE, Dover, N.H.

ST: Johnny, great plan. I can easily make a case for either quarterback. Both guys are in terrific passing offenses, and the Saints and Broncos are likely to be playing from behind a lot. Reggie Bush's return will give Brees (3,251 yards, 18 TDs) another great receiving weapon, and the Broncos have been much better running the ball, which will take some pressure off Cutler (2,832 yards, 19 TDs) and create some throwing room. Dangle both and take the best offer; you will love riding the other guy.

Q: What would you do? Matt Cassel's hot, but would you start him over Kurt Warner playing the Giants? I have all the Pats' RBs - start Sammy Morris (healthy?) or Kevin Faulk, who is steady? I assume BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a backup from here on out.
MIKE G., Canandaigua, N.Y.

GL: Mike, I still believe Warner is the play because there is a possibility of the Cardinals playing from behind. With Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and Steve Breaston at his disposal, Warner is poised for a potentially strong day. The Patriots' running game is a weekly mystery. Who knows, BenJarvus may end up earning the starting job for the rest of the year.

Q: With the matchups in Week 12, should I start Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan, or Aaron Rodgers in my league?
BILL PERRYMAN, Renton, Wash.

ST: Bill, this is a nice easy one to wrap up the mailbag. I love the Rodgers matchup against New Orleans, which has really struggled to contain receivers (16 TDs allowed). Rodgers, Greg Jennings, and Donald Driver could go off in the dome.

Playing the matchups
Broncos WR Eddie Royal: We love the No. 2 guy against the Raiders, who will likely put the best cornerback in the game, Nnamdi Asomugha, on superstud Brandon Marshall. No one tests Asomugha, and that leaves the rookie Royal - who in his pro debut lit up Oakland with 9 receptions for 146 yards and a TD - to run free on the other side.