Rolling Ryan worth a look in Week 12

Wondering whether or not to start Drew Brees and Mike Wallace, or to bench Tyler Palko and Patrick Crayton? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you're looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 12 of the 2011 season.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons vs. Vikings. He's on a nice three-game roll, even without Julio Jones on the field for most of the last two weeks. Now Ryan gets to feast at the trough of the Vikings' hospitable secondary, which has allowed a league-worst 19 passing scores. Start him with confidence.

Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals vs. Browns. With A.J. Green sidelined last week with a knee injury, Benson was the team's red-zone hero. The Browns are giving up 139.3 yards per game to opposing rushers, while their pass defense is top-notch. Look for another nice outing from Benson, especially if Green sits again.

Willis McGahee, RB, Broncos at Chargers. He was limited last week against the Jets, but McGahee has had 10 days to recover and should be full-go by Sunday. The Chargers have given up big chunks of yards (and three rushing TDs) over the last two weeks. McGahee hung 125 yards on them in Week 5, when San Diego was playing better.

Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings at Falcons. Harvin will be the X factor in an offense run by a rookie quarterback and missing its most dangerous weapon. The multipurpose player could line up in the backfield nearly as often as out wide in an effort to get the ball into his hands as frequently as possible.

Nate Washington, WR, Titans vs. Buccaneers. Washington has a strong rapport with both of his quarterbacks, as evidenced by his two scoring connections with Jake Locker last week. The Bucs cough up a lot of passing scores, so get the playmaker back in your lineup.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Cam Newton, and Tim Tebow; RBs Chris Johnson, C.J. Spiller, DeAngelo Williams, and Donald Brown; WRs DeSean Jackson, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Brown, Victor Cruz, and Brandon Lloyd.

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals vs. Browns. The rookie continues to impress, even against stiff competition. But Dalton will be facing the NFL's top-ranked pass defense Sunday, most likely without his top wideout, Green.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Vikings at Falcons. Adrian Peterson is unlikely to play because of his high-ankle sprain, but don't expect his backup to prosper in his place on Sunday. Atlanta has surrendered the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing rushers, and Harvin is the more likely candidate to benefit from Peterson's absence.

Ryan Mathews, RB, Chargers vs. Broncos. Denver's improving defense has allowed the third-fewest rushing scores in the NFL. Meanwhile, Mathews' fortunes have dipped along with his team's performance. He hasn't scored since Week 3 and he fumbled twice in a Week 11 loss.

Andre Johnson, WR, Texans at Jaguars. You've waited seemingly forever to get him back in your lineup, but you'd be wise to give him another week to get acclimated. Not only might Johnson see limited reps, but he'll be chasing down balls thrown by Matt Leinart. The Jags secondary is pretty solid, as well.

Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts vs. Panthers. It's no secret that the Colts passing attack is in shambles. Wayne hasn't reached the end zone since Week 1, and his best outing since then was 77 yards. Even coming off a bye and going against a so-so secondary, Wayne belongs on your bench.

More thumbs down: QBs Rex Grossman and Ryan Fitzpatrick; RBs BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Jackie Battle, Brandon Jacobs, Roy Helu, and Ryan Torain; WRs Earl Bennett, Jerome Simpson, and Stevie Johnson.

Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals at Rams. He predictably fell flat last week against the 49ers' staunch run defense, and he's still hindered by a balky knee. But Wells remains the workhorse for an offense that is struggling in the passing game. Best of all, he'll be facing the porous Rams run defense. Though he struggled against them three weeks ago, consider giving him a second chance as a flex play.

. . . fails to grab Spiller off the waiver wire. With the news that Fred Jackson has been lost for the season with a fractured fibula, Spiller will step into the job for which he was selected with the ninth overall pick of the 2010 draft by the Bills. He has underachieved to date, but he has shown flashes of brilliance (mostly in the preseason), and he's a good receiver as well.