Packers vs. Giants Fantasy Advice: Start Andre Brown; Sit the Packers Defense

What a difference one injury has made for the Green Bay Packers-New York Giants game this week. For most of the season in writing this column, I've always projected big things for the Pack's offense with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. But after his collarbone splinter on Monday night a couple weeks ago, things just haven't been the same in Green Bay.

It's a trickle-down effect in fantasy. As Kramer once said about Jerry on Seinfeld, Aaron Rodgers is the Miana--the nucleus. The straw that stirs the drink. Unfortunately for the Packers, Seneca Wallace and Scott Tolzien have made that drink quite bitter and tough to swallow for Packers fans and fantasy owners alike. Start your Packers with care in Week 11 on the road in a hostile environment. Here's how I see it:

QUARTERBACKS

Sure, Tolzien didn't look like a train wreck in relief of Wallace last week. It was also against one of the worst defenses in the NFL. And it's not like he set the world on fire, sugar-coaters. Just like how one week doesn't make Wallace a competent NFL quarterback, one week doesn't make a third-string practice squadder a suddenly good fantasy option. In fact, there really are no solid fantasy options at quarterback in this game. If you're still reading this in Week 11, you can probably do better than Eli Manning, too.

Scott Tolzien: 215 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 10 rushing yards
Verdict: Start only in start 2-QB leagues

Eli Manning: 265 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Verdict: Start in 14-team leagues and 2-QB leagues

RUNNING BACKS

Can you imagine how bad Green Bay's offense would be with the 2012 version of its running game? Eddie Lacy has maybe been the most consistent bright spot for this offense all season long. And James Starks seems to have settled into a nice complementary role as well. I love Andre Brown this week and think he really gashes Green Bay's defense in the second half.

Eddie Lacy: 90 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 catches, 15 yards
Verdict: Start in (nearly) every league

James Starks: 15 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Bench in all leagues

Andre Brown: 100 rushing yards, 1 touchdown, 3 catches, 20 yards
Verdict: Start in all leagues

Peyton Hillis: 20 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Bench in all leagues

WIDE RECEIVERS

It was a little surprising to see James Jones take a back seat to the Jarrett Boykin show last week, but I've always believed that all Boykin needed was an opportunity. Remember the days of Jennings, Driver, Nelson, Jones and Ruvell Martin? I think this new crop with Cobb and Boykin can be just as good, if not better. An inexperienced Tolzien hurts their Week 11 value, though. Hakeem Nicks has been a disaster this year, Victor Cruz has really struggled to make plays and Rueben Randle hasn't done much damage inside the 20s. I think you can blame the quarterback a little bit there, too.

Jordy Nelson: 4 catches, 75 yards, 1 touchdowns
Verdict: Start in most 10-team and all 12-team leagues

James Jones: 3 catches, 50 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Start as a WR4 in 12-team leagues and WR3 in 14-team leagues

Jarrett Boykin: 4 catches, 45 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Start as a WR4 in 12-team leagues and WR3 in 14-team leagues

Victor Cruz: 6 catches, 80 yards, 1 touchdown
Verdict: Start in most 10-team and all 12-team leagues

Hakeem Nicks: 4 catches, 60 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Start in most 12-team and all 14-team leagues

Reuben Randle: 3 catches, 45 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Start as a WR4 in 12-team leagues and WR3 in 14-team leagues

TIGHT ENDS

My boy Brandon Bostick finally started backing up my pumping up of him last week. I expect Tolzien to use him as a security blanket again this week. Andrew Quarless should go back to his more customary blocking role. I do not believe in Brandon Myers' talent at all and always believed his 2012 was a pure result of garbage time. So far, I've been right, and it shouldn't change this week.

Brandon Bostick: 3 catches, 30 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Start only in 14- and 16-team leagues

Andrew Quarless: 1 catch, 10 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Bench in all leagues

Brandon Myers: 2 catches, 15 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Bench in all leagues

KICKERS

Mason Crosby has come back down to earth a bit, but I still view him as an elite kicking option, especially with Tolzien able to move the offense competently but not in the red zone. Josh Brown is not going to be played by many people this week, but I think that's a mistake.

Mason Crosby: 2 field goals, 2 extra points
Verdict: Start in most leagues

Josh Brown: 3 field goals, 2 extra points
Verdict: Start in most leagues

DEFENSES

No Casey Hayward for the Pack, so downgrade the defense a bit. Clay Matthews' club is smaller, but so what? It's still a club. Look elsewhere here, people. You could do much worse than the Giants, though.

Packers: 2 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumble recoveries, 23 points allowed, 370 yards allowed
Verdict: Start only in 16-team leagues

Giants: 4 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 20 points allowed, 295 yards allowed
Verdict: Start in some 10-team and most 12-team leagues

More from Acme Packing Company:

• Packers vs. Giants: Q&A with Big Blue View
• Packers vs. Giants Injury Report: Perry Doubtful, Barclay Questionable for Sunday
• Packers vs. Giants Preview: 5 Things to Watch For