Week 7 NFL Matchups Analysis: Start/Sit for Fantasy Football (Part 2)

Welcome to Week 7 of NFL and fantasy football action, RotoBallers.

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down each of the NFL matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well.

Below, you will find our Week 7 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis, which should help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

To read about the rest of this week’s NFL matchups, check out Start/Sit &  Matchups Analysis for Games 1-8 and our Week 7 Standard and PPR Rankings. And of course you can always stop by the RotoBaller chat rooms for any live advice you may need.

 

Saints @ Lions - Sunday 10/19 @ 1:00 EST

Matchups We Love

Joique Bell: Bell was a strong option in the Lions running game last week against Minnesota, and with no update on Reggie Bush's playing status, Bell looks to get the...Lion's share of the carries.  (I'm so sorry.)

Matthew Stafford: While Stafford's stat lines without Calvin Johnson on the field haven't been exciting, the Saints passing D isn't doing much to shut down opposing arms.  Stafford's not going to win you this week, but you should get respectable points out of him.

Golden Tate: Tate is making good on Calvin Johnson's ankle sprain, and he's a reliable WR2 option this week, with PPR upside.

Matchups We Hate

Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson: With Ingram returning from injury, the Saints backfield has been plunged into a much more chaotic situation this week.  Give it a week to shake out before playing one of these guys.

Saints WRs: Drew Brees is still spreading the ball around to everyone, and as such, no one is a reliable option in fantasy-- especially not when they're going up against the nasty Detroit D this week

Other Matchups

Calvin Johnson and Jimmy Graham: Just as a heads-up, as of the writing of this column, neither Graham nor Megatron is expected to play this week.  Keep your ear to the ground, however.

Drew Brees: Brees hasn't been playing to his usual standard this season, and the Lions are sporting a fearsome defensive unit.  He's still Drew Brees, though, so I can't firmly recommend sitting him.  Hope for the best, but temper your expectations.

 

Panthers @ Packers - Sunday 10/19 @ 1:00 EST

Matchups We Love

Aaron Rodgers: After a slow start to the season, Rodgers has come on strong to settle in at the number three quarterback so far this season.  With Carolina's shaky secondary and lackluster pass rush, Rodgers should keep his hot streak going.

Jordy Nelson: Nelson is on pace for over 1,700 receiving yards this season, and he has five touchdowns to his name through six games.  He's essentially matchup-proof as an elite WR1.

Randall Cobb: While he doesn't get as many targets as Nelson does in the passing game, Cobb has produced admirably by converting his limited looks into TDs.  He has seven to Nelson's five, and Cobb is a healthy WR1 this week.

Cam Newton: Newton essentially became the Panthers running back last week against Cincinnati, and the Packers defense isn't quite elite.  If Newton continues to shoulder the load in the running game, he is a top quarterback option.

Matchups We Hate

Kelvin Benjamin: While there's no doubting the rookie's talent, his concussion symptoms still haven't cleared up at the time of this writing. You can't start him without knowing if he's cleared to play.

Other Matchups

Eddie Lacy: Lacy has actually only played on 49% of Green Bay's snaps in the last two games, heralding the advent of a true Packer RBBC. He's an RB2 at best this week, but the position is still thin enough that he's a legitimate RB2 option.

Greg Olsen: He's put up a fantastic fantasy campaign so far this season, but the Packers aren't giving up many points to TEs.  Hope for a touchdown, but don't expect much else.

 

Chiefs @ Chargers - Sunday 10/19 @ 4:25 EST

Matchups We Love

Philip Rivers: Rivers is playing out of his mind right now, and is a true MVP candidate through six weeks.  Ride him until the wheels fall off.

Branden Oliver: With Ryan Mathews's status still up in the air, the talented rookie retains starter's duties this week.  He's a solid FLEX/RB2 option.

Jamaal Charles: The Chiefs are going to need a lot of offense to keep up with Rivers.  Enter Charles, who faces a Chargers defense that gives up 4.7 yards per carry to opposing running backs.  Bear in mind: the last three teams the Chargers have faced were the Raiders, Jets and Jaguars.  Charles owners should be excited this week.

Matchups We Hate

All Chiefs WRs: People don't still own them in fantasy, do they?

Knile Davis: With Jamaal Charles getting rest over the bye week, expect Davis to settle back into the backup role.  Sit him unless Charles is hurt.

Other Matchups

Alex Smith: He's still limited by the system, and all he's really asked to do throwing the ball is not mess things up.  There are better options at QB this week.

Travis Kelce: The Chargers have been keeping opposing TEs down very effectively this season, but Kelce leads the Chiefs in red zone targets, and as a result, has scored in three straight games.  You could do worse at TE.

Malcom Floyd: He's putting up decent enough numbers for a WR3, but he has some upside as long as Rivers is racking up aerial touchdowns.

High Risk, High Reward

Eddie Royal: He's seemingly dialed in as Philip Rivers's touchdown connection, but he's battling through a rib injury.  Bear in mind that he doesn't get a ton of yardage, so he's very reliant on getting into the end zone.

 

Cardinals @ Raiders - Sunday 10/19 @ 4:25 EST

Matchups We Love

Andre Ellington: He got 25 touches last week and looks to continue that production as Carson Palmer rehabilitates his shoulder.  Against the Raiders, that steady diet of touches should result in some happy Ellington owners.

Matchups We Hate

Raiders RBs: Neither Darren McFadden nor Maurice Jones-Drew did much against the Chargers, and Arizona's defense may be tougher than San Diego's.

Larry Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald is currently 59th among receivers in ESPN standard scoring.  He had a decent game last week, but there are better options among wide receivers this week.

Other Matchups

Michael Floyd: Palmer may not yet be 100%, which serves to limit Floyd's upside, despite his apparent ascension to number one wideout in the desert.

High Risk, High Reward

Whichever Raiders WR You Picked Up Off Waivers This Week: Yeah, I know you did that.  Those guys looked so good against San Diego.  The question is whether or not they can sustain that level of play, or whether it was a flukey performance.  Derek Carr's play going forward will be a significant factor in these guys' values.

 

Giants @ Cowboys - Sunday 10/19 @ 4:25 EST

Matchups We Love

DeMarco Murray: The Giants defense were demolished at the line of scrimmage by the Eagles, resulting in a vintage Shady McCoy night.  Here's a fun fact for Murray owners: the Dallas O-line is better than Philly's.

Dez Bryant: There's not a lot that needs to be said about Dez.  He's really good at finding the end zone.  He's a clear WR1.

Matchups We Hate

Andre Williams: The Cowboys have somehow cobbled together a legit defense this season, and if the Giants line fails to hold up again this week, Williams owners will suffer.

Eli Manning: Legend has it that to this day, if you go to Manhattan and listen real close, you can still hear Eli Manning getting sacked, like a whisper in the trees.

Other Matchups

Tony Romo: The Cowboys surprising dominance this season hasn't translated into fantasy dominance for Romo, but he's still a decent starting option in 10- or 12-team leagues, or as a bye-week spot-start.

High Risk, High Reward

Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham, Jr.: We've yet to see how the absence of Victor Cruz will impact the fantasy prospects of these Giants receivers, but it's safe to assume someone will have to step up in Cruz's absence.  We just don't know who it is yet.

 

49ers @ Broncos - Sunday 10/19 @ 5:30 EST

Matchups We Love

The Denver Broncos, sans RBs: I feel like I've actually run out of witty little things to say about how good the Broncos are.  You know if you have Peyton, either Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders, you're starting them.

Colin Kaepernick: I'd be angrier about the fact that as soon as I dropped Kaepernick, he picked his play up to QB1 levels...but I dropped him for Rivers.  It seems like it would be petty to complain.

Frank Gore: You know that old car that basically everyone's owned at one point in their life? It's older, maybe not flashy, but it just keeps getting you where you need to go?  Frank Gore is the fantasy football version of that car.  He should get an award at the end of his career, something like the "Golden Late '90s Honda Accord."

Matchups We Hate

Michael Crabtree: Kaepernick has shown an ability to get it done without Crabtree, and Crabtree's fantasy production has suffered.  He has 15 points in standard scoring over the last three weeks.  It may be time to look elsewhere.

Ronnie Hillman: While he has taken over as the lead back in Denver, San Francisco is still a tough defense to face.  Look for the Broncos to win through the air where they're strongest.

High Risk, High Reward

Vernon Davis: Nagging injury concerns still follow Davis, but he's still a favorite red-zone target of Kaepernick's.  He's boom-or-bust this week.

 

Texans @ Steelers - Monday 10/20 @ 8:30 EST

Matchups We Love

Arian Foster: Foster's playing at an elite level right now, and the Steelers defense just let Cleveland run all over them.  Foster's locked-in as an RB1.

Antonio Brown: The Texans defense let T.Y. Hilton loose last week.  Look for the similarly-built Steelers wideout to take advantage.

Le'Veon Bell: He's yet to post a single-digit game this season, despite only finding the end zone once this season. He's too reliable to sit.

Matchups We Hate

Ben Roethlisberger: The Steelers offense sputtered last week, and this week Roethlisberger has to watch out for J.J. Watt coming after him, with a "50-50" chance Jadeveon Clowney shows up to the party as well, according to Bill O'Brien.

DeAndre Hopkins: He's just not being targeted enough to make an impact, let alone to supplant Andre Johnson.

Other Matchups

Andre Johnson: He finally found the end zone last week, but he was slightly underwhelming to that point.  If he doesn't find the end zone, he'll get you maybe 7 or 8 points.  Not truly boom-or-bust, but not exciting either.