Week 7 Fantasy Football Projections: Tough Matchups Might Lead to Low Numbers

At this point in the fantasy season, owners are going to have to deal with bye weeks, injuries or both. Since rosters are limited, matchups will have to be considered in deciding who's going to start on a team. 

However, a lot of players who are usually fantasy starters have really tough matchups this week. Expectations should be tempered for these guys even though they usually put up big numbers. 

So, here are four guys with tough matchups that might give them a rough week. 

1. Marshawn Lynch vs. San Francisco

Marshawn Lynch has been really solid this year, living up to, and probably surpassing his preseason hype. He hasn't gone "beastmode" on anyone yet this year, but he's been extremely consistent, which is all you can really ask for. 

Lynch has definitely been a top back, but it's a precarious matchup for him against San Francisco's vaunted defense this week. The hope for his owners is that he'll be able to break the mold and have a productive day, as Ahmad Bradshaw did this past Sunday. 

It's not a definite that Lynch will struggle, but it's certainly a very tough matchup. 

2. Ray Rice vs. Houston

Ray Rice has been stellar this year and has solidified his status as an elite fantasy back. Rice has been great for his owners, but he might, quite literally, run into some trouble this week when he squares off against the Houston Texans. 

The Texans have been great against the run this season, so unless Rice pulls some magic out of his hat, don't expect your typical day out for Ray. He's a great RB, but he can't give you 20 points every week. 

3. Adrian Peterson vs. Arizona

Adrian Peterson's made his way back from his ACL injury and has been having a nice season, although it's not necessarily what his owners would usually expect from him. Peterson has still put up nearly 500 yards rushing on the year and is doing well in PPR leagues as well (per ESPN).

In Week 7, Peterson and the Vikings are playing the Arizona Cardinals, who have been staunch defenders against the run. Peterson will have his opportunities, and he had better make the most of them in order to have anything close to a productive day against the Cards. 

4. BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs. Pittsburgh

BenJarvus Green-Ellis has strung together a good season, except for a couple of subpar recent outings. Still, he is a Top 20 fantasy RB and is definitely a viable fantasy starter. So, how's he going to fare this week?

Green-Ellis is matched up against a very tough Steeler defense, so it's going to be really hard for fantasy owners to expect anything more than a decent to bad game for Green-Ellis. He may still break out, but it's unlikely that it happens this week. 

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