Week 7 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Play or Bench Advice on Top Fantasy Football Stars
Week 7 will bring a slew of crucial decisions for fantasy football managers.
Not only are multiple key players dealing with injuries, but six teams will have a bye. With the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans all off this week, players like Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Derrick Henry, CeeDee Lamb, and C.J. Stroud will be unavailable.
Luckily, we're here to help navigate what might be a difficult week with another round of start-or-sit recommendations.
Start: Brock Purdy, Qb, San Francisco 49ers (at Minnesota Vikings)
1 of 6
Purdy is coming off the worst performance of the season, throwing for just 125 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a loss to the Cleveland Browns. Still, the 49ers signal-caller should remain in starting lineups this week.
Purdy had eclipsed 20 fantasy points in each of his previous three outings. He will be facing a Vikings defense that has struggled to keep up with high-powered offenses this season. Minnesota has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this year.
The 49ers are dealing with a couple of injuries that bear watching, as running back Christian McCaffrey (oblique) and receiver Deebo Samuel (shoulder) are both banged up. Still, San Francisco has enough depth at its skill positions to allow Purdy to have a bounce-back performance against Minnesota.
Sit: Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions (at Baltimore Ravens)
2 of 6
Goff has been a reliable fantasy quarterback this season, but Week 7 presents an unfavorable matchup against a stingy Ravens defense that warrants a trip to the bench for the Lions starter.
Baltimore has the second-best passing defense in the league this year with opponents averaging 163.2 yards per game through the air. Goff is coming off back-to-back outings with over 20 fantasy points, but it's hard to imagine him making it three straight when he goes up against the Ravens.
Also, Goff's performance takes a hit when he plays on the road. He's averaging 23.4 fantasy points in home games as opposed to just 16.3 points in away matchups. It will be safe to hold him out of the lineup this week for managers who have better options on their roster.
Start: AJ Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers (at Denver Broncos)
3 of 6
At this point, it's safe to start just about any skill position player against the Broncos, who have the worst defense in the NFL.
Dillon hasn't necessarily lit things up this season, as his 76 rushing yards in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders were his season-high. However, Aaron Jones remains banged up with a hamstring injury and it's unclear if he will make his return from a three-game absence in Week 7.
Whether Jones is in the lineup or not, Dillon is the fresher back and he should garner the majority of the touches out of the Packers backfield. The Broncos are allowing a whopping 32.2 fantasy points per game to running backs, so fantasy managers who have Dillon on their roster should feast this week.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Sit: Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
4 of 6
Mattison has seen his fair share of volume this season, as his 82 carries rank him ahead of the likes of Bijan Robinson, Raheem Mostert, James Cook and Breece Hall. Unfortunately, Mattison has struggled to turn his touches into production.
The 25-year-old has failed to rush for over 100 yards or score a rushing touchdown this season. The only times he's reached the end zone were his two receiving touchdowns.
Mattison will be facing a stout San Francisco defense that is allowing just 80.2 rushing yards per game, so fantasy managers should not expect his fortune to turn around in Week 7. Also, there's a chance that Minnesota will be playing from behind early, so that would make for more volume from the passing attack and fewer touches for Mattison.
Start: Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders (at Chicago Bears)
5 of 6
Adams has been a frustrating fantasy player since joining the Raiders last season, as he remains one of the best receivers in the league but his performances have become boom or bust.
After exploding for 29.2 fantasy points in Week 3, Adams has failed to reach 10 fantasy points in each of his last three games. He's inexplicably been targeted a combined nine times in the last two games. The lack of production is not lost on Adams, who expressed his frustration while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.
The Raiders should be motivated to keep their star receiver happy, so expect Adams to see a ton of volume against a Bears defense that is allowing the fourth-most passing yards with 267.3 yards per game. Another lackluster performance would warrant a trip to the bench for Adams, but for now, fantasy managers should ride with him for another week.
Sit: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Cleveland Browns)
6 of 6
Pittman has not been a reliable source of fantasy production at all this year, and that is unlikely to change against one of the best defenses in the league when the Colts meet the Browns.
Pittman has not reached the end zone since Week 1, and he had a string of four straight outings with single-digit fantasy points before reaching the 10-point mark last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. With Gardner Minshew taking over at quarterback for injured rookie Anthony Richardson for the remainder of the season, perhaps more consistency is on the way for the Indianapolis passing attack.
However, this is not the week for fantasy managers to expect that to happen. The Browns lead the league in passing defense at 121.4 yards per game, and they are holding wide receivers to just 11.2 points per game. It's safe to say that Pittman and the rest of the Colts pass-catchers should not be in any starting lineups in Week 7.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
