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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.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! 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




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Michael Penix Jr.

Not Cleared for 11-on-11 Work
Jacoby Brissett

Still Absent From OTAs This Week
George Kittle

Still Hoping to be Ready for Week 1
Micah Parsons

Expected to Open Training Camp on the PUP List
Tucker Kraft

Packers Hopeful Tucker Kraft Will Participate in Training Camp
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Held Out of OTAs on Wednesday
Jayden Daniels

Participating in Commanders OTAs
Chris Bell

No Timetable for Chris Bell's Return from Knee Surgery
De'Von Achane

Limited in OTAs Due to Recovery From Shoulder Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

Participating in Packers OTAs
Josh Jacobs

No Criminal Charges Filed Against Josh Jacobs
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez Pulled Early on Wednesday With Hamstring Issue
Daniel Jones

Present at OTA Practice on Wednesday
CFB

Drew Mestemaker a Top Big 12 Quarterback Right Away?
T.J. Hockenson

Dynasty Stock Continues to Trend Down
Jordan Addison

Is Jordan Addison a Clear Buy-Low Candidate Ahead of 2026?
Cade Otton

Continues to Offer Depth in Dynasty Leagues
PGA

Sungjae Im Remains Boom-or-Bust at Colonial
Jared Goff

Continues to Have Dynasty Appeal at 31 Years Old
Tez Johnson

No Clear Path to Fantasy Relevance for Tez Johnson in Tampa Bay?
PGA

Michael Thorbjornsen Trending in Wrong Direction Entering Colonial
Zach Ertz

Could Still Contribute in Dynasty Leagues
De'Aaron Fox

Limited to Nine Points in Game 5 Loss
Russell Henley

a Top Option at Colonial
Dyami Brown

Holds Little Dynasty Value in His Return to Washington
Harry Hall

Hoping Putter Carries Him at Colonial
Julian Champagnie

Notches 22 Points With Four Triples Tuesday
Trevor Etienne

Could Still Find Dynasty Relevance After Quiet Rookie Season
Stephon Castle

Leads Spurs in Scoring Tuesday Night
Rickie Fowler

Looks to Regain Momentum at Colonial
Victor Wembanyama

Struggles in Game 5 Loss to Thunder
Bam Knight

Dynasty Value Has Run Dry in Crowded Running Back Room
Alex Caruso

a Difference-Maker Again in Game 5
Pierceson Coody

Looking to Stay Hot at Colonial
Jared McCain

Produces 20 Points in First Playoff Start
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Scores Game-High 32 Points in Game 5 Win
Martin Necas

Collects an Assist in Game 4 Loss to Golden Knights
Gabriel Landeskog

Scores Only Avalanche Goal in Season-Ending Loss
Carter Hart

Finishes Series-Clincher With 20 Saves
Dylan Coghlan

Continues Unlikely Success Story
Cole Smith

Scores Series-Clincher Tuesday Night
Mark Stone

Nets Another Goal as Golden Knights Finish Off Avalanche
Ludvig Aberg

Looking to Exchange Momentum for a Victory in Fort Worth
Stephan Jaeger

Trending Upward as PGA Heads to Fort Worth
Max Homa

Comes Off Awful Putting Performance at PGA Championship
Tony Finau

Faces Different Test at the Colonial
Robert MacIntyre

Seeks Better Beginning in Fort Worth
Tom Hoge

Ups and Downs Could Continue at Colonial
Brian Harman

Not Having the Best Golf Season in 2026
Austin Eckroat

Struggling Too Often Heading to Charles Schwab Challenge
Zach Bauchou

Tries to Keep Momentum Rolling at Colonial
Keegan Bradley

Looking to Rebound at Colonial
Jared McCain

Moves into Starting Five
Boston Celtics

Joe Mazzulla Wins Coach of the Year
Jalen Williams

is Ruled Out for Game 5 on Tuesday
Zion Williamson

to See More Versatile Role
Cleveland Cavaliers

Kenny Atkinson to Remain Cavaliers Head Coach Next Season
Claude Giroux

Planning to Return for 20th NHL Campaign
Carter Hart

Aiming for Sixth Consecutive Win Tuesday
Evgeni Malkin

Inks New One-Year Deal With Penguins
Mackenzie Blackwood

in Net for Game 4 Against Golden Knights
Valeri Nichushkin

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Nathan MacKinnon

Will Suit Up Tuesday
Ben Griffin

Looking to Repeat This Week at Colonial
Rasmus Hojgaard

a Player to Avoid at Charles Schwab Challenge
Hideki Matsuyama

Needs Solid Driving Week at Charles Schwab Challenge
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of Charles Schwab Challenge
Akshay Bhatia

Lacking Driving Prowess Needed at Colonial Country Club
CFB

DJ Lagway Looking to Rebound at Baylor
CFB

Josh Hoover Tasked With Leading Indiana Back to the Playoffs
CFB

Braylon Staley the Next 1,000-Yard Tennessee Receiver?
CFB

Ahmad Hardy's Return Timeline Remains Unclear
Evan Mobley

Finishes Season-Ending Loss With 15 Points
James Harden

Wants to Stay in Cleveland
Donovan Mitchell

Remains Committed to Cavaliers
Mikal Bridges

Cools Off in Game 4 Against Cavaliers
OG Anunoby

Active on Both Ends in Blowout Win
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads Knicks in Scoring During Series-Clincher
Jalen Brunson

Named Eastern Conference Finals MVP
Ivan Demidov

Contributes an Assist in Losing Effort
Lane Hutson

Records Power-Play Goal in Game 3 Loss
Frederik Andersen

Enjoys Another Easy Night at the Office in Game 3
Shayne Gostisbehere

Scores First Postseason Goal
Taylor Hall

Ends Four-Game Goal Drought
Andrei Svechnikov

Scores Game 3 Winner in Overtime
Gage Jump

Athletics to Promote Top Pitching Prospect Gage Jump to Major Leagues
Tatsuya Imai

Two Relievers Combine to No-Hit the Rangers on Monday
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder is Ruled Out for Game 4 on Monday
Michael Porter Jr.

Nets Could Trade Michael Porter Jr.
Valeri Nichushkin

Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin Uncertain for Game 4
Oliver Kapanen

Sitting as Healthy Scratch Monday
Max Domi

Out Indefinitely Due to Offseason Surgery Complications
Dylan Cease

Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Injury
Daniel Suarez

Wins at Charlotte in Rain-Shortened Coca-Cola 600
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte
Denny Hamlin

Falls Short of Winning and Places Third at Charlotte
Tyler Reddick

Places Fourth After Leading Laps at Charlotte
Kyle Larson

Strong and Consistent Day Ends in Fifth at Charlotte
Dylan Cease

Removed From Sunday's Start With Hamstring Discomfort
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Exits Sunday's Game Early with Elbow Contusion
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Sunday
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Place Edward Cabrera on the 15-Day Injured List
Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Charlotte
Tyler Reddick

on Pole for Coca-Cola 600
Christopher Bell

Could Break Out of Slump
Kyle Larson

May have A Solid Day at Charlotte
Ryan Blaney

Is A DFS Risk for Charlotte Lineups
William Byron

Could have A Great DFS Performance at Charlotte
Chase Briscoe

Is A Solid Tournament Option for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs

May not be Worth his Salary for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Chris Buescher

May be a Sneaky Tournament Option for Charlotte Lineups
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has Favorable Upside for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Ross Chastain

Is A Strong Addition for DFS Lineups at Charlotte
Austin Dillon

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Austin Dillon for Charlotte DFS Lineups?
Chase Elliott

Should Be Strong at Charlotte
Carson Hocevar

Confident for Coca-Cola 600
Corey Heim

a Chalk DFS Pick at Charlotte
Michael McDowell

Is Michael McDowell A Tournament Option for Charlotte Lineups?
MLB

Orioles-Tigers Game Postponed on Saturday
MLB

Rays-Yankees Postponed on Saturday
Mickey Moniak

Heads to Injured List With Ankle Sprain
Jackson Merrill

has Sore Ribs, Expected to Avoid Injured List
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Looking to Take Sophomore Leap
CFB

Jadan Baugh Primed to Lead Florida Offense in 2026
CFB

LSU Hires Ed Orgeron As Special Assistant
CFB

North Carolina and South Carolina Cancel Home-And-Home Series
CFB

Confidence High in Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Friday
Trevor Story

has Hernia Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-10 Weeks
Roman Anthony

Dealing With Sprained Ligament in his Finger
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF