Browns Fantasy Football: Start / Sit Advice in Week 12 vs. Atlanta

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If you're not familiar with how to play, you pick a 1-week fantasy lineup with a starting salary of $60,000. A player like QB Peyton Manning may be real expensive, but you might be able to get QB Brian Hoyer at a relative bargain. With the right combination of picks, you could win the top prize, especially in a smaller subset of players (the DBN community). The cost is $5 to join -- I've been playing every week and have won and lost, but it's been a blast and a nice refresher to the usual, season-long fantasy format. Let us know in the comments section too if you joined.

Now, let's take a look at which members of the Cleveland Browns should you start or sit heading into your Week 12 fantasy football match-ups as the Browns take on the Atlanta Falcons.

(Key: Start / Sit / Enticing)

• QB Brian Hoyer - The Falcons have the worst pass defense in the NFL. They have given up more than 20 fantasy points in each of their past three games to players like Matthew Stafford, Josh McCown, and Cam Newton. They've also surrendered two touchdown passes in four straight games. With WR Josh Gordon coming back, Hoyer will be targeting him early and often, possibly for a couple of scores.
  
  
• RB Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell - The Browns' running back situation is clearer now that Ben Tate is out of the picture, so I think we'll see about a 50/50 split between the two rookie running backs. It wouldn't be out of the question to expect each running back to have about 60 yards rushing and 1 touchdown, but if one of the running backs doesn't get a score, are they worth it? Only play them if you are thin at depth at running back.
  
  
• WR Josh Gordon - Although there are questions about how much Gordon will be utilized, he instantly becomes a must-start every week from now until the end of the season. Atlanta gives up the 8th most fantasy points to receivers, and last year, Hoyer had a tendency to throw the ball to Gordon a lot more than any of the team's other receivers.
  
  
• WR Andrew Hawkins - Although Gordon will get his fair share of targets, expect Hawkins to possibly have a big day as well. He has been operating as a No. 1 receiver despite not being your prototypical leading receiver, so he could have even more space to operate with against a secondary missing one of their starting cornerbacks.
  
  
• WR Miles Austin, Taylor Gabriel, Travis Benjamin - The return of Gordon sucks the life out of any fantasy value the rest of the Browns' receivers might have had.
  
  
• TE Jim Dray, Gary Barnidge - The Falcons surrender the 10th fewest points to fantasy tight ends, and the backups to Jordan Cameron continue to see few targets. Pass.
  
  
• K Billy Cundiff - He has missed his past two field goals, and Cleveland could be on the path for touchdowns instead of field goals this week.
  
  
• DEF/ST Cleveland - Over the past three games, the Falcons have allowed 10 combined fantasy points to opposing defenses. Although Matt Ryan takes a lot of hits, he can still put points on the board. The Browns could be without two of their starting linebackers and are having trouble against the run. Find another matchup this week.
  

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Editor's Note: Dawgs By Nature is hosting a 1-week fantasy challenge on FanDuel with a guaranteed prize pool this week. Here is the link; challenge your fellow DBN'ers now!