Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 7: Last-Minute Fantasy Football Advice for Sunday

Crafting a strong roster in the draft and keeping on top of the waiver wire is the way to generate fantasy football success, but it means little if you aren't starting the correct players from week to week.

There's nothing more frustrating than leaving a player on your bench as he catches multiple touchdowns or starting someone who becomes an afterthought in the game plan altogether. So many things can be unpredictable, but warning signs crop up each week to give fantasy owners reasons to jump at a backup or to leave a typical starter on the bench.

Some of those calls can be headache-inducing at first, but making the right one will have you feeling like a genius. With kickoff fast approaching, let's take a look at fringe players to start or sit in Week 7.

Quarterbacks

Start 'Em: Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

If you're looking to fill a vacant quarterback starting spot due to either a bye or a struggling starter, Kirk Cousins is your guy in Week 7.

His Redskins face the Tennessee Titans at home on Sunday, a team that ranks 18th against the pass but has struggled in recent weeks. Blake Bortles threw for 336 yards against the Titans last week, and in the two weeks prior they gave up nearly 700 combined passing yards and seven touchdowns to Brian Hoyer and Andrew Luck.

Washington's results have been hot and cold since Cousins took over, but his numbers haven't wavered. He's accumulated at least 250 yards in each of his five appearances, throwing 10 touchdowns in that span despite turning the ball over nine times. 

But youngsters Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Marqueston Huff and others have been thrust into action in the Titans secondary, and the results haven't been pretty as of late. Expect Cousins to continue that trend.

Sit 'Em: Eli Manning, New York Giants

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After four straight head-turning performances, Eli Manning is seeing his fantasy stock plummet once again following a beating from the Eagles. 

Things don't figure to get much better in Week 7, as his Giants travel to face another surging NFC East foe. This time it's the Cowboys, whose secondary was pegged to be one of the league's best but ranks in the top half of the league in pass defense. 

The Cowboys struggled against quarterbacks early in 2014 but have now forced seven interceptions in the last five games and are attacking the ball with ferocity. What's more, Manning will be without his favorite weapon after Victor Cruz suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 6.

Manning has proved his ability to overcome adversity in the past, but it looks like he'll have to wait until after his team's Week 8 bye to get back to the drawing board with sure struggles looming.

Running Backs

Start 'Em: Branden Oliver, San Diego Chargers

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Chargers running back Branden Oliver went from undrafted free agent to San Diego's starting running back in a few months, but many fantasy folks are wondering if Ryan Mathews and Donald Brown's impending return will mean Oliver's return to irrelevance.

Not quite. 

Oliver has been magnificent in recent weeks, and we should expect that to continue until we see reasons to believe otherwise. Plus, Mathews has yet to reach the part in his rehab where he can get back to full-speed running, per UTSanDiego.com's Michael Gehlken.

The Chiefs haven't allowed a rushing touchdown from an opposing running back this season but rank a lowly 23rd against the run in terms of yards against. Oliver's dangerous speed makes him able to rack up fantasy numbers without reaching the end zone, which he should do against a Kansas City defense that struggles to contain the run.

Sit 'Em: Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

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Expectations were low for Darren McFadden entering 2014 with his starting running back spot in danger, but he's returned to a RB2 stock by taking over the backfield once again. However, Week 7 isn't the time to bet on a big performance.

His Oakland Raiders face one of the toughest defensive fronts in football, going up against the Arizona Cardinals. Only two teams have allowed less rushing yards per game than the Cardinals (75.8).

The Cardinals have held every team they have faced this season to less than 100 yards of rushing, and it's hard to see the Raiders—the league's 31st-ranked run offense—changing that.

McFadden only has one touchdown this year and no 100-yard games. Don't expect him to add to either of those totals on Sunday.

Wide Receivers

Start 'Em: Terrance Williams, Dallas Cowboys

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With Dez Bryant being such a commanding presence, Terrance Williams' fantasy stock tends to rely week to week on the opposing team's ability to lock down both pass-catchers. The New York Giants would seem to bode well there, but their secondary is banged up.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie left Friday's practice—the only one this week he participated in—and remains questionable for Sunday's game, per the team's injury report. Trumaine McBride is out for the season, which leaves Prince Amukamara as the only starting-worthy cornerback who is hurt.

The top Giants cornerback—whoever that may be, given the injuries—will have his hands full with Bryant. And if Rodgers-Cromartie can't go, that should open up a field day for Williams as the Giants will have no real answers.

Tony Romo will have his way against a depleted New York secondary, and expect Williams to be among the biggest fantasy studs of the week as a result.

Sit 'Em: Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers

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The Denver Broncos haven't been kind to opposing wideouts this season, and that should bring Michael Crabtree's Week 6 breakout to a grinding halt this weekend. 

The Broncos allowed a receiving touchdown from Eric Decker last weekend but had avoided giving up a touchdown to opposing top wideouts all season prior to that. Save for 98 yards from Reggie Wayne in Week 1, the opposing team's top wide receiver has not surpassed 57 yards against the Broncos.

Crabtree shook off two straight poor outings with 49 yards and a touchdown against the Rams, but with a touch matchup against Denver, he should return to ineffectiveness before the 49ers' Week 8 bye.

Tight Ends

Start 'Em: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

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The Kansas City Chiefs have unleashed Travis Kelce as one of the biggest targets in their offense, and he should continue his early-season prowess against the Chargers.

Against the scary 49ers defense, Kelce continued his success by catching a touchdown. That marked his third straight game with a score; don't be surprised if he makes it four in San Diego.

The Chargers haven't been gashed by a tight end yet this year, but with games against Arizona, Seattle, Buffalo, Jacksonville, the Jets and Oakland, they've yet to face a real threat at the position.

Kansas City's aerial weapons are few and far between, but the team has a dangerous one in Kelce, who should see a heavy workload in Week 7. Plus, coming off a bye should bode well for the Chiefs overall.

Sit 'Em: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys

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Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten hasn't been the fantasy football force in 2014 that he had been in recent years. He got back in the touchdown column in Week 6, but don't expect him to return there in Week 7.

He faces the New York Giants on Sunday, who should struggle (see above) with the Cowboys' weapons on the outside. But that same unit has been magnificent against opposing tight ends.

Save for allowing a touchdown to Zach Ertz and James Casey in a 27-0 loss to Philadelphia last week, the Giants had not allowed a tight end to score all season. 

Romo likes to use Witten as his security blanket when receivers on the outside aren't making plays, but that won't be the case against the Giants. The Cowboys' big plays should come early, and that will put the onus on the run game—not Witten—to lead Dallas to a win.