Week 7 is going to test your budgeting skills. Elite options like Christian McCaffrey and Nick Chubb have bye weeks. Todd Gurley and Saquon Barkley are likely to return making their inexpensive backups much less appealing. Finally, you’ll need alternatives for 2 wide receivers capable of putting up top 10 numbers with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on break. Don’t fret, we are here to help you smooth out the trouble spots in your Week 7 lineups.

Return of the Rookie

Frank Gore did a respectable job in Devin Singletary’s absence, but the rookie is off the injury report and a favorable matchup against the Miami Dolphins awaits. We haven’t seen Singeltary ($5,400) in action for a while and Gore could still see goal line work, but the rookie did look electric in the first 2 games and his opponent is the Miami Dolphins...need I say more? Not spending a single dime on Singletary? How about a more proven option in Matt Brieda ($5,300)? He’s a proven commodity. Although, like Singletary he may lose short yardage opportunities to his teammate. You like any team facing Washington this season so Brieda is a great RB2/FLEX play in Week 7.

Opportunity Knocks (too many Tates)

Injuries have created avenues for more playing time for several players. One receiver who has some juice is Auden Tate ($4,500) who has more playing time with A.J. Green and John Ross sidelined. Tate has 17 targets in his last two games and the Jacksonville Jaguars just lost Jalen Ramsey. If that Tate doesn’t suit your taste, how about Golden Tate ($5,800) who faces the Arizona Cardinals? Sterling Shepard is no guarantee to play (concussion) and Golden did make the most of his few receptions. All-Pro defensive back Patrick Peterson is set to return to the Cardinals lineup, but if Tate remains a slot receiver, he may see very little of Peterson on Sunday.

Texans vs. Colts

Sometimes you see a matchup and your heart rate increases, your palms get sweaty and you find it hard to speak. It must be love! I’m currently loving the Texans/Colts contest for DFS. It has it all! You get: a premier quarterback, Deshaun Watson ($7,000), a low cost quarterback with plenty of upside, Jacoby Brissett ($5,600), an elite wide receiver starving for a big game, Deandre Hopkins ($7,800) and even a few long shot running backs that could pay off big – Nyheim Hines ($4,400) and Duke Johnson ($4,100). Of course, there is the chance this game becomes a slog because the NFL is ruled by chaos, but hopefully it ends as one of the highest scoring contests of the week.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Derekrva) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.