Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 7

The injuries continue to pile up as we hit the midpoint of the fantasy football regular season, but at least scoring is (somewhat) back.
And while some NBA-esque midseason trades have thrown a wrench into two receiving rooms (I'm so sorry, Garrett Wilson and Dalton Kincaid managers), we've gathered enough in-game data where we can begin to feel confident about rotations, target shares, and matchup strength.
That comes just in time, too. After two tough weeks with four teams on bye, things lighten up a bit in Week 7. Only the Bears and Cowboys are off.
Week 7 Byes:
- Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams, RB D'Andre Swift, WR DJ Moore, WR Rome Odunze, WR Keenan Allen, TE Cole Kmet
- Dallas Cowboys: QB Dak Prescott, RB Rico Dowdle, WR CeeDee Lamb, WR Jalen Tolbert, TE Jake Ferguson
That's good news for fantasy managers, though it doesn't make deciding who to start any easier.
But that's what this piece is here for.
Every week I'll be listing out every fantasy-relevant player, sorted by position and bucketed into tiers with the higher-tiered players deemed more startworthy. For specific start/sit advice between two players in the same tier, refer to our NFL projections, which come via numberFire.
These tiers are meant to reflect your typical 12-team, half-PPR scoring formats with only one starting quarterback -- though the general rankings can be loosely applied to most formats.
All betting references refer to the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.
Fantasy Football Start or Sit: Week 7
Quarterback
Here are the FanDuel Research Week 7 Fantasy Football quarterback projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel.
Below is a tiered breakdown of the Week 7 Fantasy Football quarterback rankings.
Tier 1: Locks
1. Lamar Jackson (BAL) @ TB
2. Jayden Daniels (WAS) vs. CAR
3. Jalen Hurts (PHI) @ NYG
4. Josh Allen (BUF) vs. TEN
5. Baker Mayfield (TB) vs. BAL
6. Jordan Love (GB) vs. HOU
7. CJ Stroud (HOU) @ GB
8. Joe Burrow (CIN) @ NYG
Tier 2: Starters
9. Geno Smith (SEA) @ ATL
Geno Smith played arguably his worst game of the year last week, but he still finished with 312 passing yards off 52 attempts. The Seahawks continue to lead the league in pass rate over expectation (+5.4%), giving him a rock-solid floor thanks to such hefty volume. There's certainly a ceiling this week against a Falcons defense that's 18th in schedule-adjusted pass defense and has allowed a pedestrian 17.3 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
10. Anthony Richardson (IND) vs. MIA
11. Jared Goff (DET) @ MIN
12. Kirk Cousins (ATL) vs. SEA
Kirk Cousins predictably took a step back after his monster Week 5 performance, though he still cracked 225 passing yards for the fifth straight game. Atlanta notably relied on the run game more against the Panthers, but we could see them attack Seattle through the air in what's expected to be a high-scoring affair. The Seahawks have surrendered the 10th-most fantasy points per dropback this season.
Tier 3: On the Fence
13. Kyler Murray (ARI) vs. LAC
With his 12-point dud in Week 6, Kyler Murray has now been held under 16 fantasy points in four of six games this season. He's exceeded 215 passing yards and thrown multiple touchdowns just once -- something losing Marvin Harrison Jr. to a concussion won't help. It's more than reasonable to consider sitting him against a Chargers defense that's allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and is top-10 in adjusted pass defense.
14. Brock Purdy (SF) vs. KC
15. Sam Darnold (MIN) vs. DET
Sam Darnold came down to Earth the last time we saw him, notching a season-low 5.3 fantasy points while completing just 45% of his passes. But that came in London against a stingy Jets secondary. Things don't get much easier against Detroit's No. 4 adjusted pass defense, but this game's 49.5-point total at least hints at touchdown upside for Minnesota. Even with his Week 5 dud, Darnold has the second-highest touchdown rate (8%) in football.
16. Drake Maye (NE) vs. JAC (London)
Drake Maye was up-and-down in his NFL debut, but there's plenty to like with his 243 passing yards and trio of touchdowns against a strong Texans secondary. He added 38 yards on the ground -- an encouraging number given how well he ran in college. Maye's dual-threat upside puts him in the streaming conversation against a Jags defense that's allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks and is dead-last in adjusted pass defense.
17. Justin Herbert (LAC) @ ARI
Tier 4: Sit
18. Patrick Mahomes (KC) @ SF
I can't believe I'm saying this, but you can sit Patrick Mahomes this week. Mahomes can pop off in any game -- he's Patrick freaking Mahomes, after all -- but he's now gone 10 consecutive weeks without a top-12 weekly finish. Given the state of the KC offense, that's unlikely to change this week against a San Fran secondary that's 8th in adjusted pass defense and above average in passing fantasy points allowed per dropback.
19. Daniel Jones (NYG) vs. PHI
20. Trevor Lawrence (JAC) vs. NE (London)
Running Back
Here are the FanDuel Research Week 7 Fantasy Football running back projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel.
Below is a tiered breakdown of the Week 7 Fantasy Football running back rankings.
Tier 1: Locks
1. Derrick Henry (BAL) @ TB
2. Kyren Williams (LA) vs. LV
3. Saquon Barkley (PHI) @ NYG
4. Kenneth Walker III (SEA) @ ATL
5. Joe Mixon (HOU) @ GB
6. Bijan Robinson (ATL) vs. SEA
7. Alvin Kamara (NO) vs. DEN
8. David Montgomery (DET) @ MIN
9. Breece Hall (NYJ) @ PIT
10. Tony Pollard (TEN) @ BUF
11. J.K. Dobbins (LAC) @ ARI
12. De'Von Achane (MIA) @ IND
13. Jordan Mason (SF) vs. KC
14. Jonathan Taylor (IND) vs. MIA
15. Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) @ MIN
16. Aaron Jones (MIN) vs. DET
Tier 2: Starters
17. Josh Jacobs (GB) vs. HOU
18. Chuba Hubbard (CAR) @ WAS
19. Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) vs. JAC (London)
Rhamondre Stevenson sat out last week with an injury, but the New England backfield did little to warrant concern over his workload going forward. He's one of the top buy-low running backs ahead of Week 7 and should be in starting lineups if healthy. Stevenson is averaging 22.2 adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) per game and could feast against Jacksonville's No. 23 schedule-adjusted run defense.
20. James Cook (BUF) vs. TEN
21. Chase Brown (CIN) @ CLE
Chase Brown has enjoy a mini breakout the last three weeks. Over that stretch, the second year back is averaging a team-high 18.3 adjusted opportunities and 16.2 fantasy points per game. Notably, he saw a season-high 61.5% snap rate last week after Zack Moss fumbled. We shouldn't expect Brown to completely take over this backfield, but his recent usage warrants a spot in your starting lineup with the Bengals headed to Cleveland as 6.5-point favorites.
22. Kareem Hunt (KC) @ SF
23. Najee Harris (PIT) vs. NYJ
24. Austin Ekeler (WAS) vs. CAR
Austin Ekeler flew under the radar with just 8.8 fantasy points last week, but he saw a 73.2% snap rate and handled 19 adjusted opportunities with Brian Robinson Jr. sidelined. Assuming B-Rob is out again this week, Ekeler could find a lot more fantasy success if the workload holds. Not only are the Panthers 27th in adjusted run defense, but they've also allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per target to running backs. Ekeler saw a season-high five targets last week.
Tier 3: On the Fence
25. James Conner (ARI) vs. LAC
James Conner produced a disappointing 4.6 fantasy points last week, and his day was cut short due to an ankle injury. Monitor his status throughout the week, but this isn't a spot I'm clamoring to start any Arizona back. The Chargers have been a top-five run defense this season, and they've permitted the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. With Marvin Harrison Jr. dealing with a concussion and Kyler Murray struggling, the Cardinals aren't a fantasy-friendly offense right now.
26. Bucky Irving (TB) vs. BAL
27. Tank Bigsby (JAC) vs. NE (London)
Travis Etienne has been spotted at practice this week, but Tank Bigsby is the Jacksonville running back I'd consider starting against New England. Though it was a tad concerning to see D'Ernest Johnson lead the Jags in adjusted opportunities (10) and snap rate (56.7%) with Etienne limited, Tank's overall body of work this season can't be ignored. He leads all qualified running backs in rushing yards over expectation per carry, so even double-digit opportunities could result in a serviceable fantasy outing against a Patriots defense that's allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the position.
28. Javonte Williams (DEN) @ NO
29. Devin Singletary (NYG) vs. PHI
30. Tyrone Tracy Jr. (NYG) vs. PHI
It remains to be seen if Devin Singletary plays this week, but Tryone Tracy has established himself as a lineup lock if Singeltary misses time. Tracy's seen 22 and 29 adjusted opportunities the last two weeks, combining for 33.2 fantasy points. Philly isn't necessarily a run defense to fear, but I'm not sure we can start either with confidence if both are active.
31. Nick Chubb (CLE) vs. CIN
Nick Chubb is expected to make his season debut this week, and it couldn't come at a better time for Cleveland after dealing Amari Cooper. The opportunity is there for Chubb to take hold of this backfield, especially in the wake of Jerome Ford's injury. Still, I'm more inclined to take a wait-and-see approach with a 28-year-old coming off his second major knee injury.
32. Ty Chandler (MIN) vs. DET
33. Alexander Mattison (LV) @ LA
34. Raheem Mostert (MIA) @ IND
Mostert is a fine flex if De'Von Achane can't suit up, but he shouldn't be in starting lineups if Achane is active given the state of this Dolphins offense.
35. Issac Guerendo (SF) vs. KC
Tier 4: Sit
36. Zach Charbonnet (SEA) @ ATL
37. Tyler Allgeier (ATL) vs. SEA
Tyler Allgeier popped for season-high 19.3 fantasy points as Atlanta cruised to an 18-point win over Carolina last week, and he saw an encouraging 18 carries. But his 37.5% first-half snap rate suggests his upside is limited in what should be a tighter contest against Seattle this week.
38. Zack Moss (CIN) @ CLE
39. Jaylen Warren (PIT) vs. NYJ
40. Antonio Gibson (NE) vs. JAC (London)
Wide Receivers
Here are the FanDuel Research Week 7 Fantasy Football wide receiver projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel.
Below is a tiered breakdown of the Week 7 Fantasy Football wide receiver rankings.
Tier 1: Locks
1. Malik Nabers (NYG) vs. PHI
2. Justin Jefferson (MIN) vs. DET
3. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) @ MIN
4. A.J. Brown (PHI) @ NYG
5. Drake London (ATL) vs. SEA
6. Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) @ CLE
7. Cooper Kupp (LA) vs. LV
8. Chris Godwin (TB) vs. BAL
9. Terry McLaurin (WAS) vs. CAR
10. Jayden Reed (GB) vs. HOU
11. Diontae Johnson (CAR) @ WAS
12. Stefon Diggs (HOU) @ GB
13. Davante Adams (NYJ) @ PIT
14. Deebo Samuel (SF) vs. KC
15. D.K. Metcalf (SEA) @ ATL
16. Mike Evans (TB) vs. BAL
17. Tank Dell (HOU) @ GB
18. Tee Higgins (CIN) @ CLE
19. Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC) vs. NE (London)
20. Garrett Wilson (NYJ) @ PIT
21. Tyreek Hill (MIA) @ IND
22. Brandon Aiyuk (SF) vs. KC
23. Zay Flowers (BAL) @ TB
24. Amari Cooper (BUF) vs. TEN
Tier 2: Probable Starters
25. DeVonta Smith (PHI) @ NYG
DeVonta Smith's slot rate jumped back up to 61% with A.J. Brown back in the mix, and that bodes well for his rest of season outlook. But his target rate dipped to 16.7%, and this week's matchup isn't great. The Giants are 13th in schedule-adjusted pass defense, and they've allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the slot, per Razzball. You're still starting him with Dallas Goedert banged up, just temper expectations.
26. Josh Downs (IND) vs. MIA
27. Ladd McConkey (LAC) @ ARI
Ladd McConkey was quiet in a tough matchup at Denver, but he again led the Chargers in target share (25.8%) and route participation (76.3%). That bodes well for his Week 7 date with Arizona -- a defense allowing the second-most fantasy points per target and third-most yards per route run to opposing receivers. There’s a higher ceiling than usual considering the Chargers posted a season-best -0.2% pass rate over expectation coming out of their bye.
28. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) @ ATL
29. DeMario Douglas (NE) vs. JAC (London)
DeMario Douglas feasted in Drake Maye’s first start, pacing New England receivers in target share (29%), air yard share (34.2%), and fantasy points (18.2). He’s now led the Pats in targets three of the last four games, setting him up for another strong outing against a Jags defense permitting the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers. He's a rock-solid WR3 or flex.
30. Romeo Doubs (GB) vs. HOU
31. Darnell Mooney (ATL) vs. SEA
32. Jameson Williams (DET) @ MIN
Jameson Williams continued his strong start to season with his fourth top-24 finish in five games last week. He saw fewer than five targets for the third straight outing, but there’s plenty of value in his role as Detroit’s deep threat. While those looks could be harder to come by against Minnesota’s No. 3 adjusted pass defense, there’s more than enough upside to warrant starting him.
Tier 3: On the Fence
33. Xavier Legette (CAR) @ WAS
Xavier Legette put up a WR31 week with 9.8 fantasy points after an injury derailed his Week 5 campaign. He’s now seen an 18.4% target share and played 82.4% of snaps in two full games since Adam Thielen went down. Those are certainly startable numbers against Washington’s 29th-ranked pass defense, especially given Carolina’s -1.4% pass rate over expectation in Andy Dalton’s four starts.
34. Jordan Addison (MIN) vs. DET
35. George Pickens (PIT) vs. NYJ
If Justin Fields was under center, I wouldn’t even consider starting George Pickens against a Jets pass defense allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. But I’m at least somewhat intrigued in Pickens’ outlook with Russell Wilson now under center. Wilson wasn’t great last season, but he fed Courtland Sutton a 20.4% target share and helped him to 11 fantasy points per game when both were active. Even so, Pickens is a boom-or-bust flex option in such a tough matchup.
36. JuJu Smith-Schuster (KC) @ SF
37. Xavier Worthy (KC) @ SF
38. WanDale Robinson (NYG) vs. PHI
39. Khalil Shakir (BUF) vs. TEN
40. Michael Wilson (ARI) vs. LAC
I'm not especially excited to start Michael Wilson against a Chargers defense that's allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, but he's a viable flex given Marvin Harrison Jr.'s concussion. Wilson was earning targets even with Harrison active, commanding a 22% target share and 30.8% air yard share over the last four games.
41. Courtland Sutton (DEN) @ NO
41. Jakobi Meyers (LV) @ LA
Jakobi Meyers missed last week’s game, but his two-game sample without Davante Adams suggests we have to at least consider starting him in such a good matchup. With Adams out in Weeks 4 and 5, Meyers saw a 31.7% target share and posted a 95.6% route rate. With the Rams allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per target and third-highest target rate to receivers, Meyers is a solid WR3 or flex if active.
42. Jauan Jennings (SF) vs. KC
43. Tyler Lockett (SEA) @ ATL
44. Tre Tucker (LV) @ LA
Tier 4: Sit
45. Quentin Johnston (LAC) @ ARI
Quentin Johnston's snap rate dipped to a season-low 41.3% in LA's first game post-bye week, and he only commanded a 12.9% target share. Even with the Chargers passing more and facing a soft secondary, it's hard to justify starting him when he's failed to reach a 15% target share in two of the last three games.
46. Christian Kirk (JAC) vs. NE (London)
47. Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) vs. MIA
Michael Pittman cracked double-digit fantasy points for the third straight game last week, but he failed to reach 40 receiving yards for the fifth time in six games. His target share has dipped to 21.3% since Josh Downs debuted, and I’m not especially excited to start Indy’s WR2 against a Miami defense that’s allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. That’s especially true if Anthony Richardson is back under center.
48. Christian Watson (GB) vs. HOU
49. DeAndre Hopkins (TEN) @ BUF
50. Calvin Ridley (TEN) @ BUF
The Titans had (what looked like) a smash matchup against the Colts last week. But instead of DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley feasting, the two combined for just 4 receptions on 14 targets. Will Levis couldn’t even manage 100 passing yards in spite of the good home matchup, so I don’t want anything to do with this passing attack on the road in Buffalo.
Tight Ends
Here are the FanDuel Research Week 7 Fantasy Football tight end projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel.
Below is a tiered breakdown of the Week 7 Fantasy Football tight end rankings.
Tier 1: Locks
1. George Kittle (SF) vs. KC
2. Brock Bowers (LV) @ LA
3. Travis Kelce (KC) @ SF
4. Trey McBride (ARI) @ GB
5. Evan Engram (JAC) vs. NE (London)
6. Sam LaPorta (DET) @ MIN
7. Kyle Pitts (ATL) vs. SEA
8. Tucker Kraft (GB) vs. HOU
Tier 2: Probable Starters
9. David Njoku (CLE) vs. CIN
I’ve all but sworn off this Cleveland offense in fantasy… but someone has to catch passes, right? With Amari Cooper out of town, expect to see plenty of David Njoku against a Cincy defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per target to opposing tight ends. He’s more appealing in full point-per-reception scoring formats, but last week’s 30.4% target share suggests he’s a viable starter regardless of your league settings.
10. Dalton Kincaid (BUF) @ NYJ
11. Dalton Schultz (HOU) @ GB
Dalton Schultz managed only 4.7 fantasy points in his first full game without Nico Collins, but the utilization was there. Schultz saw his highest target share (25.8%) of the season, and he’s commanded 22% of C.J. Stroud’s attempts over the past two games. He’s also played 100% of their red zone snaps, hinting at some touchdown upside in a game with a 47.5-point over/under.
12. Hunter Henry (NE) vs. JAC (London)
Tier 3: On the Fence
13. Juwan Johnson (NO) vs. DEN
Juwan Johnson may be my favorite tight end streamer this week. It’s not going to feel great playing any New Orleans pass catcher with Spencer Rattler under center and the Broncos’ No. 2 adjusted pass defense in town, but Johnson could be the Saints’ top target without Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Though he saw just a 7.9% target share last week, two of his three targets came 10+ yards downfield and he ran a route on 72.9% of drop backs.
14. Cade Otton (TB) vs. BAL
15. Pat Freiermuth (PIT) vs. NYJ
16. Zach Ertz (WAS) @ BAL
17. Colby Parkinson (LA) vs. LV
The Rams passing game could look a lot different if Cooper Kupp is able to go on Sunday, but I’m still bullish on Colby Parkinson regardless of Kupp’s status. Parkinson is top-five among tight ends in snap rate (86.3%) and route participation (79.2%), and he’s commanded 25.8% target share over their last three games. Vegas has done a good job limiting tight end targets thus far, but they’re middle of the pack in fantasy points per target allowed to the position.
Tier 4: Sit
17. Isaiah Likely (BAL) @ TB
19. Mark Andrews (BAL) @ TB
I wish I could tell you what to do with Baltimore’s tight ends, but I’m not sure even the Ravens know how Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews will be used on a week-to-week basis. Both are coming off 16% target shares in Week 6, and Andrews had easily his best fantasy performance of the season. Still, they both barely cracked a 50% route rate and Tampa Bay has permitted the second lowest tight end target rate in football. There’s certainly upside, but the floor quite literally could not be lower.
20. Noah Fant (SEA) @ ATL
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.