Whether your fantasy football team has cruised through the regular season to this point or bye weeks, injuries and poor performances have crushed you into mediocrity, there is still hope on the horizon.
Every week, there are alternatives to put in your lineup, not always as a matter of desperation but because it is truly the best play available. The fact is the biggest names aren’t always the ones who post the most fantasy points on a given week—just ask Eddie Lacy owners.
Here is a look at a breakdown for Week 7 with players to start and sit on your fantasy team.
Sit ‘Em
Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
The Tennessee Titans slow the game down and ensure an opposing team doesn’t get many chances offensively. This has helped the defense rank first in the NFL with just 184 passing yards allowed per game.
Teams have been much more successful attacking the Titans with the run game, which means more work for the red-hot Devonta Freeman.
Matt Ryan still has Julio Jones, but he has only one 20-point fantasy game in standard leagues this year. Without a great matchup, the chances of getting another one aren’t great.
LeGarrette Blount, RB, New England Patriots
This might be a bit surprising after LeGarrette Blount had 16 carries for 93 yards and two total touchdowns last game, but it’s important to remember that Bill Belichick hates your fantasy team.
In reality, the Patriots head coach cares only about winning football games, and the best way to win the upcoming matchup with the New York Jets is to utilize Dion Lewis more than Blount.
According to Pro Football Focus, Lewis has had more snaps than Blount in every single game this season, including a 73-7 split in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. While this was Blount‘s first game back from suspension, the real reason is Lewis was a better matchup to get around the Bills’ dominant defensive line.
With the Jets having an even better front—allowing the fewest rushing yards in the NFL and just one rushing touchdown—Blount will be limited, and it will be up to Lewis to do something with his opportunities.
Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders
It’s clear Amari Cooper is an extremely talented wide receiver, and he has earned the respect of opposing head coach Mike McCoy:
The problem is this type of respect also comes with a lot of game-planning. The San Diego Chargers have a talented secondary that has shut down some of the best receivers in the league this year and can do it again in Week 7.
Meanwhile, like the Titans, the Chargers have a problem stopping the run. The Oakland Raiders might try to turn back to their rushing attack to move the ball in this game as opposed to forcing the ball to their first-round draft pick.
Although there will be big games in the future, Cooper could have another quiet game Sunday.
Start ‘Em
Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
You’ll have to get up early to put Blake Bortles in your lineup before the 9:30 a.m. ET start, but the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback has been impressive so far this season.
While he is still making plenty of mistakes on the field, his high volume of throwing plays makes him a quality fantasy performer. Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports made an incredible comparison:
No one is arguing Bortles is a better quarterback than Aaron Rodgers, but fantasy statistics are all that matter in this case. You might have to wait until the fourth quarter when the game is out of hand to see the points pick up, but they all count the same for your team.
Rashad Jennings, RB, New York Giants
The problem with the Giants offense is the three-person committee between Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen and Andre Williams. This limits touches for each, although Jennings has clearly been the best runner and has been rewarded with between 11-16 touches each game.
With the team finally starting to give up on Williams, Jennings is getting a bigger role, with 31 combined touches over the past two games—which, in today’s NFL, is plenty to have a productive game at running back.
In Week 7, he will be able to turn these opportunities into fantasy points against a Dallas Cowboys defense allowing 23.4 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, third-most in the NFL. With many other top players on bye, Jennings could be a useful player in your lineup.
Michael Floyd, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Although Michael Floyd is technically the No. 3 receiver in the Cardinals offense behind Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown, it’s still enough to be productive with the way this team plays.
All three receivers were on the field for at least 75 percent of snaps against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and despite big games from the other players, Floyd ended up with 50 yards and a touchdown.
“We spread it around as much as any team in the league,” head coach Bruce Arians said of his offense, per Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com.
Darren Urban of the team’s official site noted it could have been an even bigger day for Floyd if not for a questionable penalty:
Against a struggling Baltimore Ravens secondary that allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers in the NFL, Floyd and his teammates could all have big games in this one.
Note: Fantasy stats courtesy of ESPN.com.
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