Week 7 is upon us and, with it, we are over halfway through the fantasy football regular season. This week looks to be a return to normal scheduling, at least as of writing this, knock on wood. Four teams are on a bye: the Colts, Dolphins, Ravens and Vikings, currently. Again… knock on wood. In this fantasy football start sit article, we will be looking at players on the fringes at QB1, RB2 and WR2 in typical PPR fantasy leagues to provide assistance deciding who is a worthy of a start and who is taking a seat.
So without further ado, let’s get to it!
Week 7 Fantasy Football Start/Sit
Quarterbacks | Fantasy Football Start/Sit
Start: Justin Herbert vs. Jaguars
All Justin Herbert has done since the Chargers becoming starter is average 22.6 fantasy points per game (fppg) in his four starts. He has thrown multiple TDs three times, including three and four the last two games, respectively. Now, fresh off a bye week, he gets a matchup with the Jaguars, who efficiency-wise are the worst in the league against the pass. He makes for a fine start this week.
Start: Ben Roethlisberger at Titans
After a quiet week last game in the home blowout versus the Browns, where he only had to pass 22 times, he should be passing more this week. In a matchup between the 5-0 Steelers and 5-0 Titans, we are likely to see a game script that if far more conducive to Big Ben throwing plenty. The Titans are allowing 22.2 fppg to opposing QBs and have given up at least 251 yards passing and two TDs in each of their last four games. Start Big Ben.
Sit: Drew Brees vs. Panthers
Assuming Michael Thomas refrains from throwing haymakers at teammates in practice this week, he will be back on the field for the first time since Week 1. Even so, this is a tough matchup for Drew Brees, against a Panthers D that has only given up 14.6 fppg to opposing QBs and a whopping 24.5 to opposing RBs. This plays right into the Saints’ game plan, with Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray carrying the load and Brees playing the game manager role that he has devolved into. Leave Brees on the bench this week.
Sit: Jared Goff vs. Bears
Jared Goff is the QB13 through six weeks, but he has been hot and cold, with three low weeks of 15.9 or fewer points and three high weeks of 24 or more points. At least he is predictable, as he typically does well in easier matchups and struggles in the tougher ones. Well, this week he gets his toughest matchup to date, as the Bears D has held opposing QBs to 12.5 fppg and has been terrific from an efficiency standpoint as well. This is an easy call, sit him this week.
Check out our Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings, including scoring settings for PPR and half PPR leagues! Ranking are updated throughout the week.
Running Backs | Fantasy Football Start/Sit
Start: Boston Scott vs. Giants
With Miles Sanders ruled out for Thursday Night Football this becomes Boston Scott’s role against a Giants team giving up an average of 20 fppg to opposing RBs. You may recall that Scott had a similar situation in Week 1 against the Washington Generics and only had 11 touches for 54 yards, but in his defense he did leave the game with an injury. Last year when he started from weeks 14-17 he had no less than 6 receptions per game including two games against the Giants where he put up 24.8 and 37.8 fantasy points while scoring four TDs. Start him if you got him.
Start: D’Andre Swift at Falcons
Last week coming out of their bye week D’Andre Swift got by far the most carries that he has all year with 14 in addition to four targets in the passing game and he responded with 116 rushing yards and two TDs. While he still logged a 38% snap rate that did lead the team, although Adrian Peterson did have one more carry. Now in a homecoming of sorts Swift returns to Georgia and he will continue his rise up the Lions RB depth chart in a matchup against the Falcons D which is susceptible to pass catching backs. With another 15-18 touches in store this week be Swift and get him in your lineup, see what I did there?
Sit: Jerick McKinnon at Patriots
With Raheem Mostert out for this week it is time to plug in Jerick McKinnon, right? Not so fast. Time for some Shanahanigans as JaMycal Hasty out touched McKinnon when Mostert left the game last week and was on the field closing out the game. McKinnon will likely be the primary receiving back but losing carries to Hasty in a tough matchup vs. the Patriots D that gives up 14.8 fppg to opposing RBs is not a recipe for a good fantasy day. Leave McKinnon on your bench this week.
Sit: Devonta Freeman at Eagles
On the one hand Freeman has 20 touches the last two weeks after being phased into the Giants offense in Weeks 3 and 4. That type of usage is tough to ignore especially with bye weeks upon us. But as Freeman is only averaging 3.2 yards per carry with all of those touches and the Giants offense is averaging a paltry 16.8 points per game he will need a TD to reach RB2 value. With Dion Lewis sniping some receptions in the passing game and the Eagles D being above average against opponents ground games, leave him on the bench this week unless you have not other options.
Wide Receivers| Fantasy Football Start/Sit
Start: Chase Claypool at Titans
Chase Claypool certainly looks the part of an emerging star with finishes of WR9, WR1, and WR7 in three of the last four weeks. In addition to the targets in passing game, 11 two weeks ago and four last week, which tied for the team lead, he is also getting touches in the ground game as well with 3 and two carries the last two weeks. This matchup is prime as well as the Titans give up 28.7 fppg to opposing WRs. He is a WR2 this week with WR1 upside if you were astute enough to either draft him or pick him up.
Start: Jamison Crowder at Dolphins
Last week in this same spot I recommended Jamison Crowder and while he only finished with seven catches for 48 yards good for WR32 he did see 13 targets making it four straight games with double digit targets and at least seven catches. That gives him a very high floor and now in a matchup against the Bills he has a high ceiling as well. His last three games against the Bills have resulted in stat lines of seven catches for 115 yards and a TD, eight catches for 66 yards and a TD and 14 catches for 99 yards good for an average of 23 fppg. Start him up.
Sit: Darius Slayton vs. Washington
Darius Slayton makes his second straight appearance in this column as a sit for his Slay-ted Week 7 matchup with the Eagles and Darius Slay. He injured his foot last week and that injury in addition to his tough individual matchup make him tough to trust as a WR2 this week. As mentioned earlier in this column the Giants offense is struggling mightily to put points up this year and as a result it is tough to trust any of their players even in a game script that should be conducive to the passing game. Leave Slayton on your bench this week.
Sit: Julian Edelman vs 49ers
This is the fantasy obituary for Julian Edelman as a WR2. He just is not heavily utilized in the new look Patriots offense with Cam Newton at the helm. Gone are the days of double digit targets on a weekly basis with a high floor as a PPR machine. Edelman has not scored in eight games straight and now that he doesn’t get the targets in a run heavy scheme he can no longer be trusted as anything more than a WR3 or flex. Leave him on your bench.
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