Fantasy Football Week 7: Insider Notebook and Preview

Tom Brady is like The Godfather of fantasy football in more ways than one. Just when you thought he was out, he pulls you back in.

Brady proved he wasn't finished as a starting quarterback of late, even putting up fantasy MVP numbers of 361 yards and four touchdowns Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. That was against a good defense. Now he draws a beleaguered one, the New York Jets, at home Thursday night on a short week.

Brady and the Pats are a tough team to prepare for in limited time, because other than Rob Gronkowski, you just cannot be sure where the ball is going to go. Brady has made a career out of making careers for everyone he plays with. It doesn't matter who his targets are.

With Stevan Ridley (knee) out for the season, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, the Pats' absence of a power-running game now will put the offensive onus squarely on Brady's still-capable shoulders. That makes for some superb fantasy sleepers out of the spare parts Brady is working with.

We break them down quickly here.

WR Brandon LaFell

LaFell comes out of Week 6 owned in just 2.9 percent of ESPN.com leagues. He should be the most-added wideout in fantasy after his breakthrough four catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns, which was good for third among fantasy wideouts this week.

LaFell is a veteran target who was going to need some time to warm up to Brady, who tends to be loyal to his receivers. LaFell is also a big target (6'3") who possession guy Julian Edelman cannot be when Rob Gronkowski is drawing extra help from the safety over the top.

We firmly believe LaFell is going to be a productive option against the Jets' banged-up secondary. Dee Milliner was the Jets' primary hope for improvement in a secondary that has been torched by fantasy quarterbacks through six weeks. Now Milliner (Achilles) is out for the season, according to Rapoport. Ouch.

RB Brandon Bolden

Here is the thing about Bolden, who lacks breakaway talent: He has Ridley's size and power. As ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss wrote, Wisconsin rookie James White is more of a smaller back in the mold of starter/receiving back Shane Vereen. Bolden is currently the one guy on the roster who might be able to pick up the slack in the power-running game for Ridley.

This makes Bolden, owned in just 1.8 percent of ESPN.com leagues, a decent add in deeper formats. The Pats showed down the stretch a year ago with LeGarrette Blount that they need a finisher in the running game, something Vereen hasn't proved to be in his career. White doesn't have that stature either, as Reiss noted.

TE Tim Wright

Back-to-back weeks with touchdown receptions will get Wright added in many fantasy leagues—he is available in over 96 percent of ESPN.com leagues—but the attention Gronk draws and the clear reliance on Brady and the passing game now are the reasons Wright should keep more consistent numbers in the coming weeks.

The Pats have whittled down the mess of Brady's receivers. Edelman is clearly the high-target guy, with Danny Amendola getting mere scraps until Edelman goes down. Kenbrell Thompkins was waived and is now with the Oakland Raiders. Aaron Dobson is out of the doghouse, but he is merely roster depth, along with Sunday's surprise touchdown-scorer, Brian Tyms.

It used to be the sight of Wright—perhaps Vereen as well—was a dead giveaway the Pats were going to be passing the football. Now, having Wright and Vereen on the field might be more of the norm in base sets with Ridley out.

More snaps will equal more production for Wright. Consider him a solid addition as one of the reserve tight ends you can trust through the bye weeks.

RB James White

Until the Pats pick up a big back off the street, you have to figure White will get some opportunities in Ridley's wake, regardless of his size. White, owned in just four percent of CBSSports.com leagues, is a Ridley fallback option if you lose out on Bolden or have space and a need for another running back flier.

We spent so much time on the Pats' free-agent options here because they figure to be useful Thursday night as fantasy starters against the Jets. See our Thursday Night Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em analysis below.

Giant Loss Is Giant Opportunity

Odell Beckham Jr. is still wet behind the ears—not to mention coming off a disappointing two-catch, 28-yard performance in what should have been a favorable matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles secondary—but he is a starter now.

Victor Cruz (knee) is out for the season, as Dan Salomone of the Giants official website tweeted. Beckham is going to move into a starting role and perhaps be the primary one to fill the void in Cruz's slot position in three-receiver sets, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News wrote.

Beckham walked up to Cruz while he was being carted off Sunday night and said, per Vacchiano: "Big bro, I got you. I've got to step up."

Both Rueben Randle (solid fantasy starter-caliber numbers each of the past three weeks) and Beckham will be among the most-added wideouts in fantasy for the second consecutive week. They were third and fourth, respectively, at ESPN.com before this Tuesday night's waiver runs.

Randle (53.6 percent owned) is more valued because of his experience and status as a third-year receiver breakout candidate, but Beckham is the first-round talent and high-ceiling threat. Beckham, at 7.8 percent percent ownership, is also the most available.

We would add Randle, the Pats' LaFell and then Beckham—in that order—in all leagues you need an option at wide receiver through the bye season.

Waiver-Wire Favorites

Every Monday of the season, FantasyPros.com polls analysts to determine the most popular additions off the waiver wire for the upcoming week. Every league varies in who is available, but this reprinted chart provides a nice broad-brush ranking of the best candidates.

RK	Player	Position	Team	Consensus	Best Rank	Worst Rank
1	Odell Beckham Jr.	WR	NYG	1	1	1
2	Isaiah Crowell	RB	CLE	3.5	2	5
3	Brandon Bolden	RB	NE	4	2	8
4	Andre Holmes	WR	OAK	4	3	5
5	Davante Adams	WR	GB	5.3	3	6
6	Cecil Shorts	WR	JAC	5.5	4	7
7	Storm Johnson	RB	JAC	7	3	11
8	Allen Robinson	WR	JAC	8.3	8	9
9	Antone Smith	RB	ATL	8.8	7	10
10	Brandon LaFell	WR	NE	9.8	7	13
11	Malcom Floyd	WR	SD	10	6	12
12	Jarvis Landry	WR	MIA	12.3	11	14
13	Jace Amaro	TE	NYJ	13.5	12	15
14	James White	RB	NE	14	10	16
15	Louis Murphy	WR	TB	15.3	15	16
16	Clay Harbor	TE	JAC	15.5	13	18
17	Tim Wright	TE	NE	17	13	19
18	Robert Woods	WR	BUF	17.3	16	19
19	Andrew Hawkins	WR	CLE	18.3	17	19
20	Josh Hill	TE	NO	20	20	20

Thursday Night Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

New York Jets

Start: Chris Ivory, Eric Decker

Sit: Geno Smith, Chris Johnson, David Nelson, Jeremy Kerley, Jace Amaro, Jeff Cumberland, Nick Folk, Jets D/ST.

The New England Patriots are third in the NFL against the pass, so don't expect this to be a second consecutive decent game for the struggling second-year quarterback Smith. The Pats are in the top 10 against quarterbacks (sixth), wide receivers (fifth) and tight ends (10th), per FFToday.com, and that is without cornerback Brandon Browner even playing yet opposite Darrelle Revis.

Decker should see a lot of Revis, but he still is the only consistent threat in the passing game for the Jets. He should be the most-targeted receiver and get the look in the red zone over the emerging Amaro. Consider Decker in deeper formats.

Ivory hasn't made a dent in either of the past two weeks, but if there is one thing the Jets will try to do, it is pound the Pats with the run. It might be enough to consider starting Ivory, particularly with Johnson being phased out of the offense—as evidenced by his declining touch totals each week.

New England Patriots

Start: Tom Brady, Shane Vereen, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, Rob Gronkowski, Tim Wright, Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots D/ST

Sit: Brandon Bolden, James White, Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, Brian Tyms

This is a "start all" game for the Pats at home against the crashing Jets. They are fourth worst in fantasy against quarterbacks and fifth worst against tight ends; hence, the recommendation to start even the likes of Wright behind Gronk.

Vereen is a start against a top-10 team against the run and fantasy running backs, because he won't do his damage between the tackles anyway. It will come via the short passing game, particularly screens. Bolden or White deserve a look with Ridley (knee) out for the season, but not against this Jets defensive front.

LaFell has emerged as a nice fantasy start as a big red-zone target, especially against this woeful Jets secondary that just won't be able to match him or Gronk physically. Expect another big effort for Brady and company.

Follow @EricMackFantasy

Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.