Start ‘EM Sit ‘EM Week 7
Quarterbacks were a bit of a surprise, as Trevor Lawrence and Marcus Mariota both finished inside the top five due to their mobility and nose for the end zone as ball carriers. Mike Gesicki led the way for tight ends, scoring both touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins during their 24-16 loss to Minnesota. Some of the biggest duds were high-profile players like Raheem Mostert, Jakobi Meyers, Mike Evans, and Drake London. In general, the underdogs were successful against the favorites in Week 6, which saw a lot of wild outcomes play out for fantasy football purposes. Bye Weeks left players in Detroit, Houston, Tennessee, and Las Vegas unavailable, which likely strained some lineups.
Let’s quickly reflect on how my recommended starts and sits fared in Week 6 before diving into Week 7. My running back starts were red-hot, as Rhamondre Stevenson (RB2), Breece Hall (RB6), and Devin Singletary (RB14) all finished inside of the top 15 in PPR formats. Kirk Cousins (QB12) and Zach Ertz (TE8) also cracked the top 12 in their respective positions, while the wide receiver starts saw two of the three finish as strong WR2s. Gabe Davis (WR18) and Chris Godwin (WR21) both had nice outings, but Courtland Sutton (WR68) only caught two receptions for 14 yards in an abysmal performance. As for recommended sits, James Robinson (RB33), Drake London (WR48), Tyler Conklin (TE41), and Russell Wilson (QB15) all finished outside of the top 12 and mostly the top 24, so you likely had favorable Week 6 outcomes if you tailed my starts and sits.
Buffalo, Minnesota, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams are all on Bye in Week 7, making it more difficult than usual to maximize points in fantasy lineups. Fortunately, I’m here to assist. Let’s find out which players to start or sit entering Week 7.
START
Ezekiel Elliot (RB) Dallas Cowboys
Dallas didn’t get the win with Cooper Rush as a starter for the first time this season, but the Cowboys should feel good with Dak Prescott set to return in Week 7. The matchup is a juicy one for all Dallas skilled players, including Ezekiel Elliot. He has scored double-digit PPR points in three of the previous four games and continues to receive volume as a ball carrier. The Lions are the second-best defensive matchup for fantasy running backs this season and Elliot will be positioned to deliver his first 20-point performance of the season. Don’t worry about Tony Pollard and plug Elliot in for his first ceiling game of 2022.
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB) New England Patriots
It’s safe to say that Rhamondre Stevenson deserves to be locked into fantasy lineups until further notice. Even if Damien Harris returns with the Patriots shortly, Stevenson has shown his playmaking ability as a ball carrier. He adds a bit of extra cushion with two to five targets per game, but Stevenson is averaging over 4.0 YPC. The second-year running back has finished with at least 80 scrimmage yards for four weeks in a row and will face Chicago’s 29th-ranked run defense in primetime on Monday Night Football. It’s a great matchup for a great player, so lock Stevenson into lineups with confidence.
Kenneth Walker III (RB) Seattle Seahawks
Seattle’s running back room has been depleted quickly with injuries to Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer, leaving the door open for rookie Kenneth Walker III. He is taking advantage of the opportunity, scoring touchdowns in consecutive weeks, including against good run defenses like New Orleans and Arizona. In Week 7, the Seahawks will face the L.A. Chargers, who have a bottom-ten run defense. Pete Carroll historically leans on the rushing attack to win games, and with quarterback Geno Smith cooling off, Walker could be handling 25 touches in a plus-matchup. Fire the rookie running back up and watch the points pile up.
Chris Godwin (WR) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay is looking to bounce back after a disappointing loss to Pittsburgh in Week 6 and they get a plus-matchup against an imploding Carolina Panthers franchise. Chris Godwin was one of my recommended starts in Week 6 and he delivered the high floor to the tune of 15.5 PPR points. Tom Brady is attempting 40 to 50 passes per game and while the Panthers’ strength is its pass defense, there’s little doubt in my mind that Godwin will get another double-digit target outing in a must-win game. Godwin reached his season-high receiving yards total (95) against the Steelers and will look to build on it with plenty of volume on the road in Week 7.
Tee Higgins (WR) Cincinnati Bengals
It was a quiet outing for Tee Higgins in Week 6, but how could you expect Ja’Marr Chase not to deliver a monstrous performance in his hometown in the same arena where he won the CFP National Championship? Higgins has been a bit volatile this season but he has scored double-digit PPR points in five games, offering a high floor and the potential for a high ceiling. In Week 7, the Bengals will host the Atlanta Falcons, who have the league’s 31st-ranked pass defense. I’m playing the matchup here and expect Higgins to finish as a fringe WR1 in a plus-matchup back in the Queen City.
Allen Lazard (WR) Green Bay Packers
Not much has gone right for the Green Bay Packers this season but wideout Allen Lazard has been building his production each week since returning from injury in Week 2. The fifth-year wideout has scored a touchdown in four of five games this season and a lot of it is based on Aaron Rodgers’ trust and rapport while the other young receivers are trying to conquer the learning curve. It could be the first week where Lazard finishes with over 20 PPR points this season, as he’ll face the Washington Commanders’ pass defense that ranks as the sixth-best fantasy wide receiver matchup. The Packers are desperate for a win, so put Lazard into fantasy lineups as a high-end WR2 with WR1 potential in Week 7.
David Njoku (TE) Cleveland Browns
David Njoku could’ve had a strong finish in Week 6 against the New England Patriots, but he let a potential touchdown pass bounce off of his hands to wind up with 8.8 PPR points in a lopsided loss. Don’t pivot to other tight end streamers. Njoku doesn’t always score touchdowns but he has high volume, which is king for the tight end position. The sixth-year tight end has at least 58 receiving yards in four consecutive games and will get a mediocre Baltimore pass defense as it relates to the tight end position in Week 7. The Ravens have a top-ten run defense, so the targets will pile up and they need to be distributed to someone, which will be Njoku yet again. Plug him into fantasy lineups as a top-five tight end this weekend.
Joe Burrow (QB) Cincinnati Bengals
The Atlanta pass defense was already discussed as a plus matchup for Tee Higgins, as they are a bottom-three unit against opposing wideouts. This correlates directly to Joe Burrow, who strung together his best performance of the 2022 season in a raucous Superdome environment, so expect another big production day from the third-year franchise quarterback. Burrow threw three touchdowns and 300 yards against the Saints and added an impressive 19-yard touchdown scramble to wind up the overall QB1 in Week 6. It’s Burrow’s first matchup against the Falcons, who are exceeding expectations, but he’s due for another QB1 finish in Week 7.
SIT
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB) Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is a unique offense that channels most of its production through Travis Kelce and a carousel of running backs. Third-year running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (CEH) scored five touchdowns across the first four weeks of the season, but he’s been held out of the end zone against Las Vegas and Buffalo. Without a touchdown, CEH does not return enough value to be considered a starting option in fantasy lineups. He’s only received more than nine carries in one game this season, while he was held without a target against the Bills in Week 6. San Francisco’s defense is one of the best this season, particularly against the run, so sit CEH until a better matchup presents itself.
Christian Kirk (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars
After a hot start, Jacksonville wideout Christian Kirk has been much quieter, falling under 30 receiving yards against Houston and Indianapolis the past couple of weeks. Yes, Kirk found the end zone against the Colts but he still barely hit 10 PPR points. It could be Trevor Lawrence’s regression in the passing attack, or head coach Doug Pederson spreading the ball around to Zay Jones, Evan Engram, and Travis Etienne. Wink Martindale’s defense is firing on all cylinders and is the toughest wide receiver matchup in Week 7, so sit Kirk and pivot to other streaming options with better opportunities.
Kyle Pitts (TE) Atlanta Falcons
The fantasy community rejoiced as Kyle Pitts scored his first touchdown of the season against San Francisco on Sunday. Coming off of the hamstring injury, it was cool to see the Falcons get their second-year tight end involved in the red zone. However, Pitts still finished as the TE12, scratching 10.9 PPR points which included the touchdown. The Bengals are the 13th-best matchup for fantasy tight ends but Marcus Mariota is attempting fewer passes as each week passes, so sit Pitts due to his low ceiling and reliance on efficiency.
Geno Smith (QB) Seattle Seahawks
Watching Seattle exceed expectations under Geno Smith has been an incredible ride through the first six weeks of the NFL season. We saw Smith finally cool off against Arizona, as the Seahawks turned to the rushing attack for success in a 19-9 win on the shoulders of rookie running back Kenneth Walker III. Smith, a nine-year veteran, is still attempting over 25 passes per game, but he will play an underrated Chargers pass defense that has J.C. Jackson, Derwin James, and Khalil Mack making plays all over the gridiron. Smith only has two games with over 20 PPR points, so pivot off of him for a higher-floor quarterback in Week 7.
