Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 7: Latest Fantasy Football Lineup Advice for Sunday
It's easy to dread Week 7 start 'em, sit 'em decisions.
Why not? Powerhouses such as the Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers sit on the shelf with byes one week removed from a slate in which Benjamin Watson outscored Rob Gronkowski and Ryan Fitzpatrick bested Tom Brady.
Whew, right? Week 7 is an odd time for fantasy football with some surefire funky lineups on the way from owners with little in the way of options. Those owners can at least get a little in the way of guidance via research, so let's take a look.ย
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QBย ย ย ย
| Tom Brady (vs. NYJ) vs. Carson Palmer (vs. BAL) | Carson Palmer |
| Eli Manning (at DAL) vs. Blake Bortles (vs. BUF) | Eli Manning |
| Philip Rivers (vs. OAK) vs. Cam Newton (vs. PHI) | Cam Newton |
| Sam Bradford (at CAR) vs. Matt Ryan (at TEN) | Matt Ryan |
| Alex Smith (vs. PIT) vs. Joe Flacco (at ARI) | Alex Smith |
Start: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (vs. MIN)
Believe the hypeโDetroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is back as an elite fantasy option.
Well, at least for a week.
After some mind-numbing offensive line play and play calls, Stafford erupted for 33 points in Week 6 for 405 yards and four touchdowns. He won't go for more than 30 again against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but he did already paste the defense for 19 points back in Week 2.
This encounter's at home, and the Lions figured out what worked last week. Expect a big day in a weekend down a trio of star quarterbacks.
Sit: Josh McCown, Cleveland Browns (at STL)
It's best not to get cute at the quarterback position this weekend.
Times are hard thanks to a bye, but it's no reason to turn to Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown in an emergency scenario.
McCown showed flashes starting in Week 3, scoring 19, 22 and 35 points before last weekend's disastrous 11-point showing.
It's probably best to expect more of the same this weekend as McCown and the Browns hit the road for a date with the St. Louis Rams. Despite encounters with Russell Wilson, Carson Palmer and Aaron Rodgers, the Rams allow the third-fewest points to quarterbacks, and none has scored more than 16 points.ย
Owners have better odds of success playing the lottery.ย
RB
| Devonta Freeman (at TEN) vs. Doug Martin (at WAS) | Devonta Freeman |
| Adrian Peterson (at DET) vs. Le'Veon Bell (at KC) | Le'Veon Bell |
| Chris Johnson (at BAL) vs. Dion Lewis (vs. NYJ) | Chris Johnson |
| Mark Ingram (at IND) vs. Justin Forsett (vs. ARI) | Mark Ingram |
| LeSean McCoy (at JAC) vs. Chris Ivory (at NE) | LeSean McCoy |
Start: Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins (vs. HOU)
Keep the return-to-form narrative going at running back thanks to Lamar Miller of the Miami Dolphins.ย
The Dolphins emerged from the bye with a new head coach and a profound new ideaโget the ball to their talented lead back.
Miller received a season-high 19 carries and responded with a season-high 113 yards, his first score of the season and his first trip to double digits with 17 points.
There's no reason to believe the new regime will shy away from the approach. Miller next gets the Houston Texans, a team that has allowed four of six opposing backfields to reach double digits.
Sit: Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals (vs. BAL)
The committee approach is very, very strong in the desert.
Most figured the Arizona Cardinals would give the starting backfield gig back to Andre Ellington when he came back. Instead, Ellington carried it just once last week, while Chris Johnson handled the load at 14 and David Johnson spelled with three.
So it goes for perhaps the league's deepest backfield. Ellington wouldn't have a ton of room against the Baltimore Ravens anyway considering the unit allows the eighth-fewest points to the position on average and has allowed just two touchdowns.
WRย ย
| Julio Jones (at TEN) vs. Travis Benjamin (at STL) | Julio Jones |
| Larry Fitzgerald (vs. BAL) vs. DeAndre Hopkins (at MIA) | Larry Fitzgerald |
| Antonio Brown (at KC) vs. Brandon Marshall (at NE) | Brandon Marshall |
| Keenan Allen (vs. OAK) vs. Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. DAL) | Odell Beckham Jr. |
| Julian Edelman (vs NYJ) vs. Jeremy Maclin (vs. PIT) | Julian Edelman |
Start: Pierre Garcon, Washington (vs. TB)
Here's a name owners don't see all too often anymoreโPierre Garcon.
Rightfully so too. Washington's top wideout has dealt with an iffy quarterback situation all year and has just one trip to double digits despite three touchdowns.ย
Still, Garcon looks like a dynamite play this weekend thanks to a matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Lovie Smith's defense has allowed the fifth most points to wideouts on average with nine touchdowns allowed already.
Garcon seems good for a score as the top receiving threat in a game that could devolve into a shootout.
Sit: Golden Tate, Detroit Lions (vs. MIN)
Stafford might look like a notable comeback player, but that doesn't mean some of his receiving weapons are coming with him for the ride.
Case in point, Golden Tate. Detroit's No. 2 scored his first touchdown of the year last week and hit 10 points, also his first trip to double digits. He's been a non-factor most of the year, though, as players out of the backfield and tight end Eric Ebron emerge.
Tate only posted eight points in Week 2 against the Vikings despite Stafford's strong showing. It seems he's a touchdown-reliant start these days, and the Vikings have allowed just four touchdowns to the position so far.
There's no reason to drop Tate yet, but he doesn't need to be in lineups.
TEย
| Rob Gronkowski (vs. NYJ) vs. Travis Kelce (vs. PIT) | Rob Gronkowski |
| Gary Barnidge (at STL) vs. Charles Clay (at JAC) | Charles Clay |
| Jason Witten (at NYG) vs. Greg Olsen (vs. PHI) | Greg Olsen |
| Antonio Gates (vs. OAK) vs. Crockett Gillmore (at ARI) | Antonio Gates |
| Delanie Walker (vs. ATL) vs. Brent Celek (at CAR) | Brent Celek |
Start: Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. BUF)
This one was easy to see coming from a mile away.ย
Julius Thomas, the man who caught boatloads of touchdowns from Peyton Manning last season, is finally healthy and making an impact with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Thomas caught seven passes for 78 yards and a score last week, good for 13 points in what was really his first taste of a full-game action after a week of getting back to speed.
Blake Bortles will continue to lean on his new weapon against the Buffalo Bills, who allow the ninth most points to the position.
Sit: Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (at CAR)
More than 60 percent of owners still believe the hype when it comes to Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz based on his ownership percentage.
This thing is, he has yet to show anything substantial this year despite some pretty juicy matchups.
In fact, Ertz has yet to breach the double-digit barrier or find paydirt. Now he has to go on the road and face a Carolina Panthers defense that has surrendered just one touchdown to the position and ranks among the top 10 in terms of fewest points allowed to it on average.
This has the feel of a run-first contest, so sit Ertz on those benches again.
All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as areย points-against info and ownership stats as of Oct. 23. Statistics courtesy of ESPN. Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers on bye.
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