Week 6 of the NFL season is officially in the books! The NFL landscape has already been riddled with injuries and unexpected twists. If you’re facing tough lineup decisions, I’ve got you covered.
Let’s break down my start/sit fantasy football picks for Week 7.
Quarterback
Start ‘Em: Jared Goff (Lions) at Vikings
The Lions are humming right now.
Dan Campbell’s squad scored 89 combined points over their last two games against Seattle and Dallas, and Jared Goff has been at the center of it all. Detroit’s quarterback followed up a historic 18-18 outing by racking up 315 yards and three touchdowns with no picks against the Cowboys, producing at least 25 fantasy points in each matchup.
Ben Johnson wants to bury opponents on the ground, which opens up everything for Goff out of play action. The last few weeks, he’s taken advantage of those opportunities, and I expect that to continue in this divisional clash with Minnesota.
Sit ‘Em: Kyler Murray (Cardinals) vs. Chargers
We know the high-end fantasy potential is there with Kyler. He’s scored 25-plus fantasy points twice so far this season.
The problem? In his other four matchups, he’s failed to eclipse the 16-point mark. Somehow, those numbers have landed him the current QB9 spot, which says a lot about the lack of quarterback production this season. That said, I’m concerned about his ups and downs, with the latter being the case in two of Murray’s last three outings.
The duel-threat QB failed to get anything going on the ground last Sunday against the Packers, averaging just two yards per carry. Through the air, it wasn’t much better, as he finished with 214 yards and one touchdown. This week, the Cardinals take on an even tougher matchup, as the Chargers allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing signal callers per game. To make matters worse, he may be suiting up without his top option in Marvin Harrison Jr., who is currently working his way through concussion protocol.
This is just the start of a tough four-game stint for Murray from a fantasy matchup perspective, so I’d leave him on your bench until he shows some consistency.
Check out my full Week 7 quarterback start/sit picks here!
Running Back
Start ‘Em: Chuba Hubbard (Panthers) at Commanders
The narrative surrounding Chuba has shifted from him being a placeholder for Jonathon Brooks to the 25-year-old establishing himself as a highly-talented player.
Hubbard has been extremely efficient rushing behind a subpar offensive line, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He ranks as PPR RB5 through six weeks, scoring at least 15 points in four straight matchups. This week, Hubbard and the Panthers draw the Commanders, who have allowed 153.7 rushing yards per game over their last three contests.
Chuba should remain a focal point of Carolina’s offense, providing a high fantasy floor.
Sit ‘Em: Zack Moss (Bengals) at Browns
After back-to-back outings of at least 17 PPR points, Moss has come back down to earth over his last two contests. Cincinnati’s starter has been stymied on the ground, racking up just 37 rushing yards over that stretch.
Last Sunday night against the Giants, the 26-year-old finished with just 0.5 points, receiving a 45% snap share. Meanwhile, it was Chase Brown who assumed a bulk of the workload, taking his 12 touches for 55 yards and a touchdown. Brown has been significantly more efficient than his backfield mate so far this season, and it feels like a matter of time before he assumes that clear RB1 role in Cincinnati.
It’s time to bench Moss until he starts making the most of his touches.
Check out my full Week 7 running back start/sit picks here!
Wide Receiver
Start ‘Em: Tank Dell (Texans) at Packers
After a slow start to the year, fantasy managers were eager to see if Dell would assume a larger role in Houston’s offense after Nico Collins landed on IR.
The 24-year-old didn’t disappoint. Dell saw a season-high nine targets against the Patriots, hauling in seven of them for 57 yards and a touchdown. Stefon Diggs out-gained Tank from a yardage standpoint, but C.J. Stroud looked the youngster’s way more often.
Dell’s uptick in usage should carry over to Houston’s Week 7 tilt against the Packers, so you can fire him up as a WR2.
Sit ‘Em: George Pickens (Steelers) vs. Jets
Pickens has been a fantasy no-show in each of the Steelers’ last two outings, catching six balls for 79 yards.
Now, he’ll be working with a new quarterback. Despite Justin Fields’ recent streak of solid performances, Mike Tomlin is reportedly benching him for Russell Wilson. Personally, I don’t believe this is the right move. While it could actually help Pickens’ fantasy production down the line, I wouldn’t bank on it this week as he and Wilson begin to develop their in-game rapport.
With a matchup against Sauce Gardner looming, it’s best to leave the big-play receiver on your bench and opt for someone with a safer floor.
Check out my full Week 7 wide receiver start/sit picks here!
Tight End
Start ‘Em: Evan Engram (Jaguars) vs. Patriots
Engram returned to action in style after a four-week absence, hauling in all 10 of his targets for 102 yards against the Bears. Fortunately for the talented tight end, his production does not hinge on Jacksonville’s success as a team. In fact, the Jaguars’ inability to run the ball consistently helps his fantasy prospects.
Trevor Lawrence and company will “host” a Patriots defense that is in disarray in London this week, opening the door for Engram to keep his positive momentum rolling. His high target share immediately thrusts him back into TE1 territory.
Sit ‘Em: Sam LaPorta (Lions) at Vikings
The good news? LaPorta hauled in an impressive 52-yard touchdown against the Cowboys.
The bad news? Not only was that his only catch, it was his only target of a game in which Detroit put up 47 points. We’ve officially entered panic territory with the 23-year-old. After finishing last season as TE1, LaPorta has failed to score double-digit points in four of his five outings.
It’s not like he and Jared Goff aren’t on the same page, Goff just isn’t looking his way. The versatile tight end has seen only 15 targets through five games. Until he carves out a larger role in this high-octane passing attack, LaPorta should be left on your bench.
Check out my full Week 7 tight end start/sit picks here!
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 7 fantasy football picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
