For this weeks start'em sit'em I'll be going through my favorite plays in week 7 and some players I think you should avoid. I'll be excluding the obvious studs such as Mahomes or McCaffrey.
Note: This is for full PPR scoring
Teams on Bye: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QUARTERBACKS:
START' EM
Josh Allen QB Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
This ones simple enough, he's playing the Dolphins. The Dolphins defense has given up 36 PPG to opponents thus far. Josh Allen has the threat to score on the ground and through the air and is in the perfect spot to score big this Sunday.
Daniel Jones QB New York Giants vs. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals defense has not looked good this year. They are ranked 30th in opponents PPG, YPG, and passing YPG. Daniel Jones should be getting some of his weapons back this week while he's gone without Saquon, Gallman, Engram, and Shepard over the past couple weeks. I expect this game to be high scoring and Daniel Jones to put up points through the ground and the air.
Jared Goff QB Los Angeles Rams @ Atlanta Falcons
The Rams have not been the team we were expecting heading into the season. This week they made a couple trades defensively and they're looking to turn things around heading into Atlanta. This should be a big bounce back game for Goff and the Raiders as the Falcons D ranks 30th in PPG and has given up over a combined 80 fantasy points the past 2 weeks to Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson. Look for Goff to have a big game.
Must starts
Kyler Murray QB Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants
Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sleepers
Gardner Minshew II QB Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals
Jimmy Garoppolo QB San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Redskins
SIT' EM
Sam Darnold QB New York Jets vs. New England Patriots
While Darnold looked sharp in his return last week, don't expect this to be the week that someone figures out how to dismantle this Patriots defense. They've ranked first in pretty much every defensive category and should have no problem with the Jets on MNF.
Phillip Rivers QB Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans
The Chargers have struggled recently and now they head to Tennessee to take on a top 5 scoring and pass defense. The Chargers haven't been the team that most expected to see and this game in Tennessee should be a low scoring slug fest where both teams look to pound the rock.
Kirk Cousins QB Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions
While Kirk Cousins has gotten on track over these past two weeks, he's got a tough matchup in Detroit. The Lions will be coming for blood after a tough loss last week to the Packers. The Vikings will look to feed Dalvin Cook here while Thielen or Diggs will be locked down by Slay. Don't expect Kirk Cousins to stay on the roll he's been on these past few weeks.
Stay away
Teddy Bridgewater QB New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears QB (Trubisky or Daniel) vs. New Orleans Saints
Potential Busts
Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
Tom Brady QB New England Patriots @ New York Jets
RUNNING BACKS:
Start' Em:
Tevin Coleman RB San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Redskins
In the two weeks Coleman has been back, he has touched the ball a combined 37 times and put up about 15 each week. While the 49ers backs can be risky because they have a committee in the backfield, Coleman is in a good spot this week facing the Redskins who have among the worst scoring and rushing defense in the league. Coleman should see over twenty touches and multiple targets, very safe play this weekend.
Phillip Lindsay RB Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs
Lindsay and the Broncos take on the Chiefs on TNF this week and it should be a great matchup. The Chiefs just gave up a big game to Carlos Hyde on the ground and Lindsay should see a heavy workload. Expect the Broncos to slow the game down and feed Lindsay to keep Mahomes off the field. Lindsay should see an easy twenty touches and with his explosiveness he could hit big.
Josh Jacobs RB Oakland Raiders @ Green Bay Packers
Josh Jacobs had a huge game last week against a tough Chicago Bears defense. He ran for 123 yards and two TDs on 26 carries and also had three catches. This week he gets to play the Packers who have given up rushing TDs in their past five games and have given up the third most points to running backs thus far.
Must Starts
Leonard Fournette RB Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants
Chris Carson RB Seattle Seahawks vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sleepers
Devin Singletary RB Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Carlos Hyde RB Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Sit' Em:
Melvin Gordon III RB Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans
I would be cautious with starting Melvin Gordon until he has a breakout week with the Chargers. He should be the back of old by the end of the season but this week he doesn't have the best matchup in Tennessee. The Chargers still should be splitting time between Gordon and Ekeler, and I would be wary of playing Gordon this week.
Chiefs RBs @ Denver Broncos
The Chiefs have been working their backs into the offense more this year and they have a decent matchup this week in Denver. It's just hard for me to trust and of their backs because they have such a random committee. Damien Williams, Lesean McCoy, and Darrel Williams all fight for touches each week, and its not easy to guarantee any of them work. Sit Chiefs RBs until one asserts themselves as the true #1 in KC.
Jamaal Williams RB Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders
Williams had his game of the year last week putting up 104 yards and a TD on the ground while also hauling in four passes for 32 yards. Williams saw his workload increase due to Aaron Jones fumbling and dropping an easy TD, but this week expect the Packers to go back to feeding Aaron Jones. This is a tough matchup for both backs against Oakland, and I wouldn't count on Williams to replicate last weeks performance.
Stay away
Latavius Murray RB New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears
Jordan Howard RB Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
Potential Busts
Alvin Kamara RB New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears
Leveon Bell RB New York Jets vs. New England Patriots
PASS CATCHERS (WR/TE):
Start' Em:
DJ Chark WR Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals
While the Bengals defense has surprisingly ranked second in the league in pass defense against receivers fantasy wise, William Jackson, Dre Kirkpatrick, Darqueze Dennard, and maybe Shawn Williams will all be out this game. This should give Minshew and his favorite target, Chark, a great opportunity through the air and I expect them to connect big this weekend.
Michael Gallup WR Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Cowboys will most likely struggle to get the run going, so look for them to air it out. Gallup has looked great this year when healthy, averaging 18.7 PPG and 9 targets. He now takes on the weak Eagles pass defense who were just torched by the Vikings last week. With Amari Cooper injured, but expected to play, expect Gallup to kill it this week seeing 10+ targets and big plays.
John Brown WR Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
As noted with Josh Allen earlier, the Bills passing offense should be big this weekend against the Dolphins. Brown has been averaging about 14 YPC and should have the opportunity to have a field day against the Dolphins.
Noah Fant TE Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs
With so many Byes this week, many fantasy owners will be looking to stream a TE and Fant offers plenty of upside this week against the Chiefs. (What offensive player doesn't when playing KC?) KC just let Darren Fells put together a solid game against them, and I expect Fant to get his chances Thursday Night.
Must Starts
Rams Receivers/Gerald Everett @ Atlanta Falcons
Tyler Boyd WR Cincinnati Bengals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
TY Hilton WR Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
Evan Engram TE New York Giants vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sleepers
Dede Westbrook WR Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals
Auden Tate WR Cincinnati Bengals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Dawson Knox TE Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Sit' Em:
Terry McLaurin WR Washington Redskins vs. San Francisco 49ers
Former Buckeye Terry McLaurin has been on fire to start the year, hauling in 5 TDs in 5 games and averaging 20 PPG in that span. This week however he faces the leagues top Pass defense in the 49ers, who have only allowed 150 passing yards per game thus far. Don't expect Case Keenum to light them up this weekend, and be wary of keeping McLaurin in your lineup.
Allen Robinson WR Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints
A-Rob has been solid to start the year for Chicago seeing at least 7 targets each week while averaging 16 PPG. This week however he will go up against Marshon Lattimore who's been completely lock down so far this year. Over the last three weeks he's held Mike Evans, Amari Cooper, and DJ Chark to a combined 8 catches for 91 yards and 0 scores. With Trubisky questionable to return this week with Chase Daniel backing him up, expect this game to be low scoring and Robinson to struggle.
Marvin Jones WR Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
Jones hasn't performed as expected this season. He's seen 6 targets per game and has only really had one big week so far, which came against the Eagles who it seems wouldn't even be able to stop the Dolphins. Minnesota brings in a top seven pass defense to Detroit, and unless Jones catches a deep TD don't expect him to perform well this weekend.
Jimmy Graham TE Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders
Graham has been hit or miss so far this year in Green Bay. He does get an easy matchup this week with the Raiders ranking 26th against TEs, but his 4 targets a week are tough for me to bank on at my TE spot. With Graham you're really just shooting for an end zone grab, and unfortunately for him, this year the Packers have been scoring the ball on the ground and Davante Adams should return to take away even more targets from Graham.
Stay away
Phillip Dorsett WR New England Patriots @ New York Jets
Robby Anderson WR New York Jets vs. New England Patriots
Jack Doyle TE Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
Potential Busts
Stefon Diggs WR Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions
Julio Jones WR Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams
Hunter Henry TE Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans