👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

10 Lineup Busts and Avoids for Week 7

I'm trying a new approach this week with this column, which is that the introductory paragraphs and the recap of last week's games are going to be combined.

But don't worry! That just means I'll be writing more about how good/bad last week's bust picks were! It makes more sense to blabber on about that than to blabber on about whatever other things I would.

Let's get to it.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Recap of Last Week

Jared Goff and Ben Roethlisberger, whose name I am finally spelling correctly without having to look it up, were the quarterbacks I warned you against last week. Goff took on the dreaded Jaguars defense. If you only believe in scoreboards, you might think Jacksonville looked worse, but don't forget the Rams scored on special teams. Goff was held to 9.9 fantasy points--another in the long list of Jacksonville's victims. Roethlisberger put up 11.9 against the Chiefs, which is a little better than I expected but still not...very good.

Running Back! Isaiah Crowell had his second best week of the year in Standard scoring, which equated to...oh, just 7.3 points--and if you're still playing without decimals, only six points. SIX. I can't understand why the Browns don't at least just see what Matthew Dayes can do. It's probably nothing, but he might be worth a look. Carlos Hyde was not a bust in terms of fantasy scoring, but he was buoyed by two touchdowns--his 13 carries only accounted for 28 yards, though he was involved in the passing game as well. Is that sustainable? And Aaron Jones, splitting time with Ty Montgomery, carried the ball thirteen times for 41 yards, numbers that probably would have been smaller if Aaron Rodgers had remained at quarterback for the entire game.

I highlighted three wide receivers. One of them, Stefon Diggs, didn't play, which means he definitely counts as a bust, right? Although no one would have been playing him, so [insert that emoji that is shrugging its head here if I knew what combination of keys I had to hit to make it look right]. Jarvis Landry got a boost with DeVante Parker out and put in a solid performance, and Mike Evans had...a weird game. Tampa Bay got down big, but Evans only ended up with three catches. Those catches went for 95 yards and a touchdown, though, so it was a good fantasy day, even if the Bucs looked Very Bad at times.

Jared Cook had two catches for 14 yards. Eric Ebron had one catch for nine yards. YOU. NEED. TO. DROP. ERIC. EBRON. IN. ALMOST. EVERY. FORMAT.

Alright. Let's look at ten dudes who will disappoint you this week now!

 

Top 10 Busts - NFL Week 7

Philip Rivers (Quarterback, Los Angeles Chargers)

I picked Rivers as a bust in Week 1 against the Broncos are didn't...do a great job on that pick. I'm doing it again here because the Broncos defense--despite struggling last week against the Giants--is good and the Chargers are inconsistent. Rivers has a turnover in four of the six games he's played and has thrown for 300 yards just twice. He's not a great call this week.

Jameis Winston (Quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Okay, a caveat: Winston might not even play this week after spraining an AC joint in his shoulder last week. If he does suit up, he gets a match-up against the Buffalo Bills, who have held every team they've played to twenty or less (real) points and have given up just two passing touchdowns, while picking off opposing QBs eight times.

Ty Montgomery (Running Back, Green Bay Packers)

This one is more speculation driven than statistic driven, because predicting the drop-off from Aaron Rodgers to Brett Hundley is...difficult. The Packers seem like they'll need to run the ball more and Aaron Jones seems like their best pure runner, which makes me think Montgomery will be in a more limited role this week.

Orleans Darkwa (Running Back, New York Giants)

The Giants discovered a run game last week against a very good run defense, but that likely means the Seahawks--who struggled defensively early in the year but have since improved--will key in on Darkwa and dare Eli Manning to beat them with his arm. The Seahawks did hold Todd Gurley to 43 yards before their bye week.

Melvin Gordon (Running Back, Los Angeles Chargers)

I understand that the Giants performance last week might have broken a hole in the narrative that the Broncos shut down running backs, but don't forget that Gordon only had 54 yards on the ground in the team's first meeting with Denver. Yes, he added a receiving touchdown, but those are a little more fluky. Look for the Broncos run defense to get it back together.

T.Y. Hilton (Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts)

The Jacksonville Jaguars passing defense is very good. This has been established. The Indianapolis Colts passing offense, which is currently led by quarterback Jacoby Brissett, is one giant question mark and now gets to face the machine that is the Jags. Jacksonville has allowed just one touchdown to wide receivers in 2017.

Sammy Watkins (Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams)

I'm not 100% sure Sammy Watkins even exists anymore. He has just two catches in the past three games and only once this season has he scored more than 5.8 points in Standard scoring. Despite the struggles, it would still be a good bet to say he'll get matched up with Patrick Peterson for a good chunk of this week's game, which caps his upside even more. Stay away.

Davante Adams (Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers)

I could have also listed Randall Cobb at this spot, or taken a bigger risk and said Jordy Nelson, but I'm going with Adams, who has been a favorite downfield target of Aaron Rodgers and figures to lose out on a lot of those kinds of plays with Brett Hundley at quarterback. Yes, he scored a touchdown last week with Hundley in and yes, it is the Saints defense, but staying away from Adams--at least until we see what his usage looks like with a more restricted offense--seems like a good call.

Jason Witten (Tight End, Dallas Cowboys)

Old, reliable Jason Witten did have 61 yards in Week 5 against Green Bay, but he's about to take on a 49ers team that has been surprisingly strong against tight ends over the course of this season. Witten isn't dynamic-enough a player to make him a viable starting option this week.

Coby Fleener (Tight End, New Orleans Saints)

With how difficult to predict the tight end market has been, one might look at Fleener--a player who has shown potential for so long now that we might need to actually admit there isn't any more potential--and think he could be a solid start against the Packers. But he's been targeted just six times in the past three games. Too inconsistent to see your lineups.

 

More Week 7 Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Najee Harris

to Meet With Raiders Next Thursday
Damar Hamlin

Bills Re-Sign Safety Damar Hamlin to One-Year Deal
Tanner Bibee

Shoulder Issue Not Considered Serious
NFL

Nicholas Singleton Relying on Traits Over Tape for Early Draft Capital
J.K. Dobbins

Positioned for Another Strong Season in Denver
NFL

Malachi Fields' Draft Stock Looks to Be Sliding
Barrett Hayton

Out Week-to-Week
Travis Etienne Jr.

Should See Feature Role Following Big-Market Deal
Tony DeAngelo

to Miss 1-2 Weeks
Sam Steel

Makes Early Exit Against Islanders
NFL

Ty Simpson Garnering First-Round Buzz
Damon Severson

Exits With Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Joe Pyfer

Set For UFC Seattle Main Event
Yaroslav Askarov

Suffers New Injury Blow
Israel Adesanya

Returns At UFC Seattle
Evan Rodrigues

Breaks Finger Thursday
Maycee Barber

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak To Eight
Sidney Crosby

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Alexa Grasso

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Dominic Canzone

a Top Pickup After Two-Homer Game
Niko Price

In Dire Need Of Victory
Michael Chiesa

Set For Retirement Fight
Chase DeLauter

Launches Two Home Runs, Emerges as Top Waiver-Wire Target
Lerryan Douglas

Set For His UFC Debut
Julian Erosa

Looks To Bounce Back
Tanner Bibee

Leaves Opening Day Start Early With Shoulder Inflammation
Tyler Allgeier

Joins a Crowded Backfield in Arizona
Kenneth Gainwell

Can Kenneth Gainwell Maintain PPR Prowess in New Digs in Tampa?
Bilal Coulibaly

Could Miss Friday's Game
Jakub Dobes

Defeats the Blue Jackets on Thursday
NFL

Zachariah Branch a Day 2 Receiver With Game-Changing Speed
Alexandre Sarr

Could Miss Third Straight Game
Cade Otton

Quietly Due for a Bigger Workload?
Noah Cates

has Two-Point Game on Thursday
Tetairoa McMillan

Headed for a Big Year 2?
T.J. Hockenson

Still Trending Down in Dynasty Leagues
Jordan Love

Still Not Back in the QB1 Tier
Kyle Filipowski

Expected Back After Illness
Terrance Ferguson

a Sneaky Dynasty Buy?
Isaiah Collier

to Miss Fifth Straight Game
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Makes a Statement on Opening Day With 10 Strikeouts
Deandre Ayton

Off Injury Report Friday
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Questionable Against Brooklyn
Ty Jerome

to Miss Second Straight Game
Anfernee Simons

Unlikely to Play Friday
Jarrett Allen

Iffy for Miami Game
Aaron Nesmith

Expected to Play Friday
Neemias Queta

Questionable for Friday
Derrick White

Iffy Against Hawks
Kevin McGonigle

has Four Hits in Impressive MLB Debut
Killian Hayes

is Returning on Thursday
Tobias Harris

is Active on Thursday
Ausar Thompson

is Cleared for Thursday's Game
Jalen Duren

is Upgraded to Available
Nico Hoerner

Cubs Agree to Six-Year Deal With Nico Hoerner
Trey Murphy III

Ruled Out for Thursday
Precious Achiuwa

is Available on Thursday
Caris LeVert

is Ruled Out for Thursday
Jacob Misiorowski

Shows Off his High-Strikeout Upside in Opening Day Win
Marcus Foligno

Available Against Panthers
Jaylen Brown

Considered Questionable for Friday
Tony DeAngelo

Unavailable Thursday
Anthony Mantha

Good to Go Thursday
Paul Skenes

Greeted Harshly by Mets on Opening Day
Thomas Chabot

Out 4-8 Weeks After Surgery
Jalen Suggs

Available on Thursday
Robert Thomas

Sits Out Thursday's Action
Tyler Toffoli

a Game-Time Call Thursday
Artturi Lehkonen

Returns to Action Thursday
Brandon Lowe

Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day
Buffalo Bills

Bills Sign Receiver Trent Sherfield
Ketel Marte

Active, Leading Off on Opening Day
Tyler Goodson

Falcons Sign Tyler Goodson for Running Back Depth
Myles Garrett

Browns Won't Trade Myles Garrett
Kevin McGonigle

Batting Sixth in MLB Debut
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Not in the Lineup on Opening Day
Jonathan Greenard

Colts Interested in Jonathan Greenard
JJ Wetherholt

Batting Leadoff in MLB Debut
Micah Parsons

Expected to Miss First Three or Four Games of 2026
Breece Hall

Still a Chance Breece Hall Plays 2026 on Franchise Tag
Jackson Chourio

Placed on Injured List with Fractured Hand
Francisco Lindor

Officially Starting on Opening Day
Mika Zibanejad

Pots Two Goals Versus Toronto
Pavel Zacha

Adds Two More Points Against Buffalo
Nicolas Roy

to Be Out For "a Little Bit"
Anton Lundell

Likely Out for Rest of Regular Season
Anthony Mantha

Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Sean Murphy

Lands on 10-Day Injured List
Bryce Miller

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Lars Nootbaar

Will Begin the Season on 60-Day Injured List
Jackson Holliday

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena on the Astros Opening Day Roster
Ryan Fox

a High-Upside Value in Houston
Marco Penge

a Boom-or-Bust Option in Houston
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back in Houston
Jason Day

a Volatile Option at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Harris English

Eyes a Bounce-Back at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Ben Griffin

Looks for Turnaround at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Rickie Fowler

Brings Strong Form Into Texas Children's Houston Open
Ryan Gerard

Can Continue Rolling at Texas Children's Houston Open
Pierceson Coody

Bounces Back at Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trying to Get Back on Track at Texas Children's Houston Open
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well Heading to Texas Children's Houston Open
Harry Hall

Looking for Consistency at Texas Children's Houston Open
Brooks Koepka

Continues Building Momentum
Scottie Scheffler

Withdraws From Texas Children's Houston Open
Luke Clanton

Might Have a Problem in Houston
Sam Stevens

Happy to See Houston This Week
Keith Mitchell

Tries to Rebound After The Players Championship
Will Zalatoris

Returning This Week at Houston
Wyndham Clark

Trending in the Wrong Direction Heading to Houston
Shane Lowry

Seeking Better Luck in Houston This Weekend
Kurt Kitayama

Poised to Bounce Back at the Houston Open
Lerone Murphy

Suffers His First Loss
Movsar Evloev

Edges Out Lerone Murphy
CFB

Notre Dame Ranks No. 1 in Returning Production for 2026
Michael Aswell

Jr. Drops Decision At UFC London
Michael Aswell

Luke Riley Outclasses Michael Aswell Jr.
Sam Patterson

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Michael Page

Wins Lackluster Decision
Austen Lane

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Iwo Baraniewski

Delivers 28-Second TKO
Tyler Reddick

Overcomes Adversity for Fourth Victory of the Season At Darlington
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Darlington Victory Despite Domination
Ryan Blaney

Recovers From Pit-Road Struggles to Score Career-Best Darlington Finish
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Finish Fourth at Darlington
Kyle Larson

Decent Performance Ends with Technical Issues At Darlington
Tyler Reddick

the Clear Favorite at Darlington
Kyle Larson

a High-Risk, High-Reward Driver at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Is Getting Better at Darlington
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not Slowing Down at Darlington
Chris Buescher

Should be a Top-10 Contender at Darlington
Austin Cindric

a Sleeper at Darlington
Erik Jones

Quickest in Practice at Darlington
Denny Hamlin

Qualifies Ninth for this Week's Cup Race at Darlington
Chase Briscoe

Is One of the Top DFS Options of the Week for Darlington
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Darlington Lineups?
Christopher Bell

Could Christopher Bell be Considered A Decent DFS Option for Darlington?
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott Worth Rostering At Darlington This Week For DFS?
Joey Logano

May Not Have the Speed to Warrant A Darlington DFS Lineup Spot
Ross Chastain

Should DFS Players Trust Ross Chastain at Darlington?
Kyle Busch

Could Kyle Busch Be A Worthy DFS Option for Darlington?
Brad Keselowski

May be A Contriarian DFS Tournament Option At Darlington
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF