Week 7 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

We are halfway home in the 2025 fantasy football season.

Week 7 heralds the end of the first half of the campaign, and it has been wild. For some, it has been smash plays, healthy guys, and win after win; for others, it has been a dud—a depressingly long list of injuries and a whole lot of losing.

And for many more, it has been a mixture of the two and a team that's a win or two from contention—or a loss or two from collapse.

No matter if you're cruising along, trying desperately to keep the season afloat or somewhere in-between, the Week 7 goal is the same: To end the first half with positive momentum by notching a win.

Bleacher Report is here to help by offering the names of some players who should be in starting lineups and others who may leave fantasy managers holding the bag.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Lions QB Jared Goff

Start 'Em

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (vs. TB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

Six weeks in, and Goff is having a very Jared Goff season—he's ninth in fantasy points among quarterbacks. The 31-year-old should surpass that ranking in Week 7, as the Lions are going to have to score quite a few points to down a Buccaneers team allowing the 10th-most fantasy points per game to QBs in 2025.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (vs. NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800]

Williams is quietly becoming a solid fantasy starter under center and is eighth in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks for the season. That success will continue at home Sunday. The Saints have struggled against the pass and given up the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year.

Sit 'Em

Jalen Hurts,  Philadelphia Eagles (at MIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700]

The Eagles have struggled offensively, but that hasn't stopped Hurts from posting top-five fantasy numbers, largely due to his rushing ability. But the sledding won't be easy in Minnesota this week. The Vikings are second in the NFL in pass defense and have given up the third-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]

Maye was a trendy breakout pick in fantasy drafts over the summer, and he has mostly lived up to the billing. He's fifth in fantasy points among quarterbacks this year. But he might not have to do much to beat the hapless Titans this week, and Tennessee has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to signal-callers this year.

Sleeper

Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints (at CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,800]

Neither Rattler nor the Saints inspire a ton of confidence from fantasy managers. But the former has shown he can post 20-plus fantasy points if the matchup is right, and the Bears have given up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to the position this season.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Browns RB Quinshon Judkins

Start 'Em

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (at DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

Croskey-Merritt has become a favorite of fantasy managers this year, and the rookie had 150 total yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Chargers two weeks ago. He may not quite hit that mark in Week 7, but he faces a Dallas Cowboys defense that ranks 29th in the league in run defense, allowing over 142 yards per game on the ground.

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns (vs. MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

Calling Judkins' production last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers a disappointment is a huge understatement. But the Ohio State product has a great opportunity to redeem himself in Week 7, as the Miami Dolphins have given up the seventh-most PPR points per game to running backs this year.

Sit 'Em

De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins (at CLE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $8,100]

It's difficult to bench fantasy football's No. 4 running back, especially the Dolphins' main offensive weapon. However, the Browns are allowing fewer than 80 rushing yards per game and the least PPR points to running backs, and should focus on stopping Achane.

Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks (vs. HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

Despite the fact that Walker has been better than Zach Charbonnet on a per-touch basis, Walker remains mired in a full-blown committee backfield. The Texans defense has quietly surrendered just 90.6 rushing yards per game, making him no more than an uninspiring flex play.

Sleeper

TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200]

Forget backfield splits, facts, numbers and reality, and all that depressing nonsense. Against a Titans team giving up the fourth-most PPR points per game to running backs, this is the week when Henderson peels off a long score. Maybe.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Eagles WR A.J. Brown

Start 'Em

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Allen hasn't scored since Week 3 and has less than 10 PPR points in two of his last three games. This week's matchup with the Colts sets him up well for a rebound. Indianapolis has allowed the fourth-most PPR points per game to wide receivers.

Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

Given Rice hasn't played in an NFL game in well over a year, there is some risk involved in starting him this week against the Raiders. At his best, though, he is a legitimate fantasy WR1, and a Chiefs offense finally at full strength could be primed to steamroll a struggling Las Vegas defense.

Sit 'Em

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (at MIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800]

Fantasy managers don't need any more bad news about Brown, who is WR37 in PPR points six weeks into the season. But this week's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings doesn't help his chances of a bounce-back week; they have allowed almost six fewer PPR points per game to wide receivers than any team in the NFL.

Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (at DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

With Malik Nabers sidelined by an ACL tear, Robinson has emerged as Jaxson Dart's No. 1 target in the passing game. But that status also brings top-target attention from 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and a Broncos defense that leads the AFC in fantasy points per game given up to wide receivers.

Sleeper

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos (vs. NYG) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

Outside having eight catches for 89 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, Franklin has been relatively quiet this season. If ever there was a week to wake up, it's at home against a New York Giants team that ranks 26th in the league in pass defense while allowing the third-most PPR points per game to wide receivers.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/John Raoux

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce

Start 'Em

Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns (vs. MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

It's not easy to get with the Cleveland offense, especially since the team's pass-catchers all appear to be wearing oven mitts during games. But the Dolphins are somehow, arguably, an even worse team than the Browns, Miami has given up the seventh-most PPR points per game to tight ends this season and with David Njoku out the rookie should see a robust target share.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (at SEA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,600]

Schultz isn't exactly a high-ceiling option—his 60 receiving yards last time out was a season high, and he has yet to find the end zone. But the veteran has caught five passes in three straight games, and the Seahawks have allowed the eighth-most PPR points per game to tight ends in 2025.

Sit 'Em

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,100]

Henry was red-hot earlier in the season, logging three touchdown grabs in September. But as wide receivers Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs have picked up steam, Henry has lost it. And while the Titans are a terrible team, they have done a solid job of defending opposing tight ends.

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,700]

Kelce has been good but not great this year, ranking ninth in PPR points per game among tight ends after six weeks. The Raiders have had all kinds of problems defending wide receivers this season, but the opposite has been true at tight end—just seven teams have allowed fewer PPR points per game to the position in 2025.

Sleeper

Mason Taylor, New York Jets (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

Just do everything you can to scrub last week's dismal effort by the Jets in London from your mind. Prior to that fiasco, Taylor had caught 14 passes for 132 yards over his last two starts, and he now faces a Carolina Panthers team allowing the most PPR points per game to tight ends in the NFC.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Falcons edge Leonard Floyd

Start 'Em

Atlanta Falcons Defense (at SF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,900]

When last we saw the Falcons, they were holding Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to a season-low 14 points. Now they take on a San Francisco 49ers team that could be without its starting quarterback and top four pass-catchers this week.

New York Jets Defense (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,600]

It is difficult to be excited about anything regarding the NFL's lone winless team—the defense included. But while the Panthers are a .500 team, all three wins have come at Bank of America Stadium. Carolina has also allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to defenses this season.

Sit 'Em

Jacksonville Jaguars Defense (vs. LAR) [DraftKings DFS Value]

Six weeks into the season, the Jaguars are third in the NFL in fantasy points among defenses, thanks largely to a league-high 14 takeaways. But those turnovers have dried up somewhat of late, and in London on Sunday, they face a Rams team that doesn't make a ton of mistakes with the ball.

Los Angeles Chargers Defense (vs. IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

The Chargers are a solid defensive team, seventh in yards allowed and giving up just over 20 points per game. But the 5-1 Colts have been a nightmare for opposing fantasy defenses this season, with Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor and Co. all but shutting out the position six games into the campaign.

Sleeper

Carolina Panthers Defense (at NYJ) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,500]

Are the Panthers an especially good defensive team? No, but they are quietly 10th in the league in yards allowed per game. In London last week, though, they played football like it was 1925 instead of 2025—Gang Green posted -10 net passing yards.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on X at @IDPGodfather.