Week 7: Start 'Em/Sit'Em
Hello everyone! We're back for another edition of our weekly Start 'Em/Sit 'Em, after two straight weeks of improvement on our picks we can't wait to get our Week 7 predictions out to everybody! Here we go:
QUARTERBACK - START 'EM:
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (Away at San Fransisco 49ers)
Jared Goff is looking to bounce back after scoring just 21.7 fantasy points in his last two games combined. A matchup against a 49ers defense that's allowed the third-most passing touchdowns in the league should do just the trick. We have Goff must start this week.
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns (Away at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The Browns are projected to have a very high-scoring affiar at home against Tampa Bay this week. The Buccaneers come into this game with the worst ranked defense DVOA according to Football Outsiders. On top of that the Bucs have given up the most touchdown passes in the NFL so far this season so we like Baker Mayfield to produce in this matchup.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (Home vs New York Giants)
Matt Ryan is having another outstanding fantasy year as he's second only behind human-cannon Patrick Mahomes in quarterback fantasy points. Expect Ryan to go off again this week at home against a miserable New York Giants team. Matt Ryan has scored at least 27 fantasy points at home while the Falcons offense is averaging 440 total yards and 34.5 points per game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
*Week 7 QB Sleepers*
Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (Home vs New Orleans Saints): Flacco has been very poor in his last two outings in particular, but there's an opportunity for big points this week against a vulnerable Saints defense. The O/U for this game is 49.5 (according to OddsShark) so expect a lot of scoring and Joe might cash in.
Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (Away at Kansas City Chiefs): Dalton let us down last week as a sleeper pick, but Cincinnati and Kansas City have the highest O/U of the week at a massive 58.5 so we're expecting Dalton to put up big points in a shootout against the Chiefs.
QUARTERBACK - SIT 'EM:
Desahun Watson, Houston Texans (Away at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Watson is still banged up and coming off of a miserable performance against the Bills. If Watson's your only option, temper your expectations, since the start of last season the Jaguars defense have allowed just one quarterback to score more than 16.5 fantasy points at home. We suggest sitting Watson this week.
Alex Smith, Washington Redskins (Home vs Dallas Cowboys)
Alex Smith has been quite the disappointment for the Redskins and fantasy owners so far in 2018. The veteran signal-caller has only approached 20 points in the first game against a terrible Cardinals defense. This week the Redskins face a much tougher test at home against the Cowboys. The Cowboys have only allowed seven touchdown passes this year which is only bested by the Ravens (6) and Jags (5).
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (Away at Washington Redskins)
Prescott had the second highest score of any quarterback last week, but don't expect a repeat performance this week in Washington. This is going to be a low scoring affair as the combined point total of 41.5 is the lowest of any game in Week 7.
RUNNING BACK - START 'EM:
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns (Away at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Chubb was the hottest add this week when word broke that the Browns had traded Carlos Hyde. We wouldn't hesitate to plug him straight into your starting lineup against the Bucs as their defense has given up an average of more than 23 PPR points per game to running backs on their home field, and Chubb should dominate carries. We can't wait to see what Chubb can do this week.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals (Away vs Kansas City Chiefs)
Mixon hasn't seen a drop in workload since his return from an injured knee. The second-year back has scored a combined 38.9 PPR points in his last two games. This week the Bengals travel to Kansas City to play a Chiefs defense that allows the third-most scrimmage yards and second-most PPR points per game to opposing running backs.
Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins (Home vs Detroit Lions)
We aren't massive fans of Drake the artist or in the case Drake the running back, but the Lions are 28th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs and 27th in run-defense DVOA. Drake has been seeing more touches every week and we expect the Dolphins to lean on the run with Brock Osweiler under center once again this week.
*Week 7 RB Sleepers*
Latavius Murray, Minnesota Vikings (Away at New York Jets): Dalvin Cook is questionable once against, and even if he does play he'll be on a limited snap count. Look for Murray to grab a score this week on the road against the Jets.
Corey Clement, Philadelphia Eagles (Home vs Carolina Panthers): Clement was able to find the end-zone in the Eagles first game without Jay Ajayi. This week the Eagles take on a Panthers defense that ranks 10th in fantasy points allowed to running backs and we like Clement to score a touchdown once again this week.
RUNNING BACK - SIT 'EM:
Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears (Home vs New England Patriots)
Howard has been one of our biggest disappointments this fantasy season as he hasn't been as involved in the passing game and Tarik Cohen is starting to almost get a 50/50 split in touches. This week's matchup doesn't get any better as the Bears play a Patriots defense that is much more vulnerable through the air than on the ground making Howard much less of a threat.
Lamar Miller, Houston Texans (Away at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Lamar Miller hasn't had a great fantasy season thus far as he still hasn't scored a rushing touchdown in 2018. To make things worse the Texans are taking on a Jaguars defense that allows an average of just 2.98 yards per attempt against them at home this season. Also, this should be an angry Jaguars team after being embarrassed last week.
Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts (Away at Buffalo Bills)
Hines had been a valuable PPR option for fantasy owners until Marlon Mack returned from injury. Hines saw just five touches and his snap percentage drop from almost 70 in his three previous weeks to just 43 in Week 6. We're benching Hines as he simply won't be on the field much.
WIDE RECEIVERS - START 'EM:
Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams (Away at San Fransisco 49ers)
We like Jared Goff a lot this week and think his main target is going to be Robert Woods with Cooper Kupp sidelined with a knee injury. Woods has scored at least 19 PPR points in each of his last four games and we expect that trend to continue against a weak 49ers secondary.
Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (Away at Kansas City Chiefs)
*Obligatory Bengals vs Chiefs pick* like we've said before this game will be high scoring and Boyd should enjoy a share of that. Also, we aren't just huge Bengals fans, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Kareem Hunt are all blatant must-starts every week.
Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns (Away at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
This might be foolish, but we're going all-in on the Browns this week. If Baker is going to have a big week then Landry will too. Tampa Bay has given up the second most fantasy points to receivers in 2018, expect Landry to take full advantage.
*Week 7 WR Sleepers*
John Brown, Baltimore Ravens (Home vs New Orleans Saints): The Saints have allowed the most fantasy points to receivers this season and John Brown is clearly Joe Flacco's top target. We like Brown for at least one score this week.
Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams (Away at San Fransisco 49ers): We like Cooks to bounce back this week after having his worst fantasy outing of the season last week in Denver. We're expecting Cooks to grab at least one score against a weak 49ers secondary.
WIDE RECEIVERS - SIT 'EM:
Will Fuller V, Houston Texans (Away at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Fuller has combined for a woeful 8.8 fantasy points in his last two outings. With only six targets in that span Fuller is truly a boom-or-bust option. Couple that with a brutal matchup against a Jaguars defense fresh off a humiliating loss. We don't like Will Fuller at all this week.
Albert Wilson, Miami Dolphins (Home vs Detroit Lions)
Albert Wilson came out of no where last week torching the Bears for 33 fantasy points, unfortunately if you snagged him off the waiver wire we don't see nearly that performance happening again. The Lions have actually given up the least amount of passing yards in the NFL.
Marvin Jones Jr., Detroit Lions (Away at Miami Dolphins)
We have nothing against Marvin Jones and think he's a fine receiver he's simply being out targeted by both of his teammates on a consistent basis. Throw in a tough matchup against a stingy Dolphins pass defense and that's a recipe for a bad game. We'd bench Jones Jr this week.
TIGHT ENDS - START 'EM:
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (Away at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
I can't believe I'm setting myself up for so much disappointment, but I just can't put Browns players in these slots this week. Njoku has averaged ten targets a game since Baker Mayfield has taken over as starter. The matchup is perfect as the Bucs have given up the most points to opposing tight ends this week. Here we go Brownies!
Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (Away at New York Jets)
We like the veteran tight end in the Vikings road matchup against a decent Jets defense. New York let two different Colts' tight ends to find the end-zone last week and we're confident Rudolph will do the same.
*Week 7 TE Sleeper*
C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals (Away at Kansas City Chiefs): Uzomah was our sleep pick last week and produced a solid 11 points, the good sign is that he again saw over 90% of the snaps against the Steelers. This week the Bengals have a much more favorable matchup (as you know if you've read this far) against the Chiefs so don't be surprised if Uzomah grabs a couple passes and a touchdown.
TIGHT ENDS - SIT 'EM:
Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (Away at Philadelphia Eagles)
It's hard to find sits with such a shallow talent pool at tight end, but Olsen is facing a tough Eagles defense that is ranked third in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. Just temper expectations!
Thanks for taking some time to read our Week 7: Start 'Em/Sit 'Em, hopefully our advice helps you win a critical matchup this week! As always if you have any questions feel free to tweet us @LastPlaceFF
