Welcome back to Cap’s Fantasy Corner, your go-to article series for all of your fantasy football needs! In this week’s edition, I’m breaking down my favorite starts and sits at each position, giving you a one-stop-shop for your start/sit questions for Week 7 of the NFL Fantasy Football season. You won’t find obvious starts in this article. If you have Patrick Mahomes, of course, you’re starting him. The point of this article is to preview the best matchup-based starts for your teams. The starts and sits this week may be a bit bolder than usual, but in the Week 7 bye week hellscape we are currently living, that’s what you have to do. If you want the best fantasy football tools, personalized fantasy coaching, and a team of experts at your disposal this season, then be sure to sign-up for our premium fantasy football season pass.
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Quarterback Starts of the Week
Tua Tagovailoa vs. Atlanta Falcons
In his first game off injured reserve against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tagovailoa accumulated 25.65 fantasy points, placing him firmly as a fantasy QB1 on the week. While it was an easy matchup, there’s no reason to believe the good times stop rolling this week against the Atlanta Falcons defense, who are allowing an average of 22.10 fantasy points to quarterbacks. Tagovailoa is the easiest streaming option this week. He faces the worst matchup in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills, so I’d encourage you to use Tua Time as a one-week rental.
Teddy Bridgewater vs. Cleveland Browns
What more does Bridgewater have to do to earn the respect of fantasy managers? He has now eclipsed 20 fantasy points in 4/6 games played this season. The stat is more accurate at 4/5 since he exited one of those games early due to a concussion. While Bridgewater is dealing with a foot injury on a short week, I still expect him to produce borderline fantasy QB1 numbers against the Cleveland Browns defense, who are allowing 23.01 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks on average, the 3rd highest number in fantasy football.
Quarterback Sits of the Week
Case Keenum vs. Denver Broncos
On the other side of the Thursday Night Football matchup between the Browns and Broncos, we have Case Keenum, who is starting in place of injured quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Broncos defense is allowing a mere 14.63 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. With the injuries to wide receivers, running backs, and the offensive line in Cleveland, I’m not looking to stream Keenum in this horrific matchup.
Justin Fields vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Fields is staying on this list for at least another week because I still have people asking me, “should I start Justin Fields?”The answer is no, at least until head coach Matt Nagy is gone or Fields’ on-field production changes significantly. On paper, the matchup looks great for Fields in the passing game. The Buccaneers’ secondary is extremely thin due to injuries and is allowing 21.69 fantasy points to quarterbacks per game. However, most of Fields’ fantasy appeal comes from his rushing ability. The Buccaneers are still an elite rushing defense, so I’d expect them to contain Fields and force him to beat them with his arm instead of his legs. Hopefully, Fields breaks out. I know fantasy managers everywhere are dying to have another Konami Code quarterback on their hands. I don’t think this is the week we see that breakout occur.
Running Back Starts of the Week
J.D. McKissic vs. Green Bay Packers
McKissic is in a perfect spot to have a boom week seemingly out of nowhere. With backfield mate Antonio Gibson dealing with yet another injury (calf this time) McKissic could see more work than usual, even if Gibson plays. Last week, McKissic and Gibson split the backfield nearly 50/50. The interesting part for McKissic is his role in the passing game. Last week, he had 10 targets, 8 catches for 65 receiving yards. In a matchup where the Football Team should face a negative game script against the Packers, McKissic should see more than his fair share of work in the passing game. In Full-PPR formats, I’d expect a mid-RB2 fantasy performance out of McKissic.
Mike Davis vs. Miami Dolphins
The new hotness is Cordarrelle Patterson, and for good reason, but I want to draw some attention to the boring option of the two running backs, Mike Davis. Also, at this point, Patterson is a must-start. Did you know Davis has had double-digit fantasy points every game this year? Well, you do now. I’m not expecting some nuclear performance from Davis, but a solid RB2 stat line is firmly in the range of outcomes this week against a Dolphins defense that’s allowing 29.48 fantasy points per game on average to running backs. In a running back decimated bye week, Davis is going into all of my lineups where I have him rostered.
Running Back Sits of the Week
Melvin Gordon vs. Cleveland Browns
Gordon’s total fantasy points on the year would have you believe he’s a locked-in RB2 in your lineups. However, that’s been far from the case over the past 3 games. Through the last 3 games, Gordon is only averaging 8.5 points per game in full-PPR scoring. Not to mention his rushing workload has been reduced by 33% over that same span. Gordon has reportedly been dealing with lower-body injuries the last few weeks, so this is likely why his workload and fantasy output have reduced. This is not the week to start him, even in desperation. Javonte Williams should see more of the rushing work to alleviate the stress on Gordon’s injuries and the Browns defense only allows 16.87 fantasy points to running backs on average, the 2nd lowest number in the league.
Jamaal Williams vs. Los Angeles Rams
Williams, much like Gordon, has seen a decrease in work over the past few weeks. Last week, Williams had just 24% of the rushing attempts for the Detroit Lions, while D’Andre Swift enjoyed 76% of the carries. Even before his workload reduction, Williams’ fantasy production has fallen off a proverbial cliff. Over the last 3 weeks, Williams has averaged a paltry 5.6 fantasy points per game in Full-PPR formats. He is unstartable in a bad matchup against the stout L.A. Rams defense.
Wide Receiver Starts of the Week
Sterling Shepherd vs. Carolina Panthers
It’s a tough matchup, I’ll fully acknowledge that right away. In his first game back from injury last week, Shepherd had 10 catches on 14 targets. Pair that with the fact Kadarius Toney re-injured his ankle and is unlikely to play, and Kenny Golladay’s continued injury woes, and it’s easy to see why Shepherd is a must-start in full-PPR leagues based on the sheer passing volume alone.
Darnell Mooney vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I highlighted Justin Fields as a sit of the week against the Buccaneers, but go back and read why I said he’s a sit. It’s not because of the passing volume. In what should be a negative game script for the Bears offense, Fields is going to have to throw early and often. With Fields as the starter, Mooney has been seeing an average of 7 targets and 4 catches per game. Mooney splashed last week with a receiving touchdown, and with the Buccaneers’ weaknesses in the secondary, I’d expect Mooney to break at least one big play in this matchup.
Wide Receiver Sits of the Week
Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Denver Broncos
Are you catching onto the theme yet? The theme being to fade Cleveland Browns’ offensive skill players. The Broncos are middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, but Beckham Jr. is far from healthy. He suffered a Grade 3 AC joint sprain in his shoulder last week and is reportedly going to try and play through it. He seems to always be playing through something. With Beckham Jr.’s injury, Case Keenum starting, injuries to the offensive line, and the entire running back room, there’s no way I can put Beckham Jr. in my lineup with any kind of confidence. Not to mention the fact he’s only averaging 9 fantasy points per game.
T.Y. Hilton vs. San Francisco 49ers
With a solid performance last week against the Houston Texans, Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is suddenly back on the fantasy managers’ radars. Remember this: Hilton owns the Texans like Aaron Rodgers owns the Bears. He always performs better against the Texans than other teams. Not to mention the fact Hilton is already banged up again after suffering a quadriceps injury against the Texans. Unless I’m desperate, Hilton is staying on my bench.
Tight End Starts of the Week
Dallas Goedert vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week I featured then-Eagles tight end Zach Ertz as the tight end start of the week, which worked out for fantasy managers in a big way. We’re going back to the Eagles tight end well with Dallas Goedert this week. Goedert is the unquestioned TE1 on the team for obvious reasons now, but should also be a fantasy TE1 for the rest of the season on an offense that prioritizes targeting the tight end position. The Raiders’ defense also allows an average of 17.62 fantasy points per game to tight ends, making Goedert an absolute smash play this weekend. I recommended Fant last week against the Raiders as well, and he went off for 24.70 fantasy points.
*This start is dependent on Goedert clearing COVID-19 Protocol prior to kickoff. There is no update on his status at this time.*
Mike Gesicki vs. Atlanta Falcons
Gesicki has proven to be a favorite target for both Dolphins’ quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Jacoby Brissett. He’s averaging 15.75 PPR points per game over the last 4 weeks. I love Gesicki as a stacking option with my stream of the week, Tagovailoa. Both defenses in this matchup are relatively weak, so the game should have a high implied point total and higher volume passing script. I’m expecting between 8-10 targets for Gesicki this week, leading to another fantasy TE1 finish on the week.
Tight End Sits of the Week
Tyler Higbee vs. Detroit Lions
Tyler Higbee, once the fantasy sleeper darling in many analyst circles, has been nothing but disappointing this season (outside of one game). Higbee just does not produce with any kind of consistency, even in this high-powered Rams offense. He’s only averaging 9 PPR points per game and I expect this game against the Lions to get out of hand quickly, with the Rams leaning on the run game in the second half to milk the clock out. I’d only start Higbee out of desperation, but there are likely better options on waivers for you to pivot to in most leagues.
Evan Engram vs. Carolina Panthers
Remember the volume argument I made for Sterling Shepherd a few paragraphs ago? That argument doesn’t apply to Evan Engram. Even with so many pass catchers for the Giants being hurt over the last few weeks, he has been an absolutely abysmal fantasy option for managers. In 4 games this season, Engram is averaging 5.25 targets, 3.5 catches, 31.75 receiving yards, and 0 TDs per game. These eye-shutting stats have led to an average of 6.35 fantasy points per game in full-PPR. Leave Engram on your bench. Even if he gets the targets, he’s not doing much with them.
Defensive Starts of the Week
Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns
This feels like the easiest defensive stream of all time this week. The Broncos have been a good fantasy defense all season, averaging 7 points per game, but this is a smash play against the injury-plagued Browns. The Browns are down starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, starting running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, down multiple offensive linemen, and also have receiver Odell Beckham Jr. dealing with another injury. Things could ugly fast for the Browns, which should result in a great day for the Broncos DST.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
Following the “Belichick kills rookie QBs” narrative here, with the stats to back it up, the Patriots DST is one of my favorite streams this week against Zach Wilson and the New York Jets. In their last matchup, the Patriots racked up 4 sacks and 4 INTs, leading to a DST1 finish on the week. Even if Wilson has improved since then, it should be a juicy matchup for the Patriots defense.
Defensive Sits of the Week
Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos
We’ve touched on this game a lot throughout this article, so I’ll keep it short. The Browns are the DST20 on the season and have not had a “splash” performance since facing the 30th ranked Houston Texans offense in Week 2. Even with an on-paper favorable matchup against Bridgewater and the Broncos offense, I’m fading the Browns DST.
Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bears are the DST6 overall on the season, but I can’t in good conscience advocate for anyone to start them against the 2nd ranked offense in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears could get a few sacks and limit the Buccaneers’ effectiveness on the ground, but Brady and the Bucs have way too much firepower in the passing offense to make the Bears DST a viable start this week.
I hope you enjoyed these start/sits and that you win all your fantasy matchups this week! To find more of my fantasy advice, follow me on Twitter @ClinicCapp. You can also listen to my weekly podcast, where I go more in-depth about players and matchups each week.
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