Key Starters and Tough Calls - Lineup Spotlights for Week 7

Scott Engel provides Week 7 fantasy football lineups analysis, spotlighting key NFL players to start and tougher lineup start/sit decisions to make.

Welcome to Week 7, RotoBallers! Below you will find some of my spotlight choices and players to go with or consider avoiding when faced with tough lineup decisions in Week 7 of the fantasy football season.

These choices are based off my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller's NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a 10% discount and get access to all of my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the entire 2020 season.

Skill position picks here are based on PPR ranks.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

RB Spotlights –Week 7 Lineup Options

Jamaal Williams is now firmly in RB1 territory with Aaron Jones out for Week 7. Jones was leading the league in TDs from scrimmage with seven, and now Williams slips into his role, and he has upside as a pass-catcher with a heavy workload. Houston has allowed the 30^th-most FFPG to RBs. Williams is a proven veteran who will easily move into the starting slot with high Fantasy scoring potential for Week 7. A.J. Dillon may get a few TD chances as well, so he is worth flex usage if you have to fill in the spot with a deeper play. Williams will still roll up good numbers even if Dillon also scores.

SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Seeing more reports of a potentially heavier workload for Dillon. This could be a somewhat uncertain time share, with Williams getting the nod because of how much he was used in Week 4 and his better receiving abilities. But Dillon may be the top goal line option. Williams is a RB2 choice and Dillon is a very enticing flex play.

D'Andre Swift broke out with 116 rushing yards and two TDs last week. We may look back at that game as the beginning of the career surge for Swift, and he is likely going to be in your lineups for most weeks going forward. Swift is the RB that the Lions have long searched for and there is no turning back in terms of overall momentum now. Injuries and an unusual preseason stunted his early progress, but now he is locked in vs. Atlanta, which is 24^th in allowing Fantasy Points Per Game to running backs.

Giovani Bernard rushed for his first TD of the season last week. He should certainly be in your lineup this week as a RB2 if you have him. I am expecting a high-scoring affair between the Bengals and Browns. Bernard is versatile and the top option to potentially finish off more than one scoring drive as either a runner or receiver near the goal line.

J.D. McKissic had 6 catches and a career-high 84 scrimmage yards (43 rec., 41 rush) in Week 6. He is aiming for his 4th in row with 6+ receptions. McKissic is a journeyman type, but has performed adequately in a larger role and can break off a sizable gain every so often. He has become a necessary option in a weak Washington passing game and QB Kyle Allen knows how to properly utilize a receiving RB after working with Christian McCaffery. McKissic will stay busy vs. Dallas.

Watch: The King and Drew Loftis of the New York Post share 10 Sleeper and Value Plays for Week 7. 

WR Spotlights –Week 7 Lineup Options

Demarcus Robinson set season highs in catches (5) and receiving yards (69) last week. There was so much hype about Mecole Hardman last week when Sammy Watkins went down, yet the speedster has not shown he can be anything more than an infrequent downfield threat. Patrick Mahomes seems to trust Robinson more and will throw to him in any type of situation. He is a quality Week 7 streamer vs. a Denver defense that is 21^st in allowing FFPG to WRs.

Randall Cobb had a TD catch last week. He totaled 470 catches for 5,524 yards and 41 TDs in eight seasons with Green Bay (2011-18). This is the “Revenge Game” pick of the week. If you have to dig deep for a flex choice or WR filler, Cobb can be your nifty play for Week 7. Green Bay-Houston has the highest total of the Week at 57, so Cobb will certainly have strong potential to contribute in a shootout.

I often point out that opportunity does not lead to Fantasy production, and that is what concerns me as I view Tre'Quan Smith for this week. He has certainly shown signs of improvement at times this season, but with Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders out, he will now possibly command more defensive attention and I don’t have the confidence he can handle it. The Panthers are fourth-best in FFPG allowed to WRs, so I see Smith as a highly risky WR4 type this week.

Mike Williams set season highs in catches (5), rec. yards (109) and TDs (2) in Week 5, his 4th career game with 2 TDs. Justin Herbert is the ideal fit to work with Williams as a QB. He is aggressive and will give Williams chances to win on contested catches and gun the ball to him downfield. Expect the Chargers offense to roll through, over and past Jacksonville as Williams has a big day.

TE and QB Spotlights –Week 7 Lineup Options

Rob Gronkowski had 5 receptions for a team-high 78 yards and 1st rec. TD with Tampa Bay last week. After a year off and an abnormal preseason, Gronkowski took a few weeks to get back into the offensive flow, but now he is looking like he should get regular starting consideration if you don’t roster another Top 5 TE.

You may have not noticed this, but Matt Ryan ranks second in the NFL with 1,843 pass yards this season. The return of Julio Jones and a coaching change has sparked Ryan and the Falcons, and the Lions are 23^rd in FFPG allowed to QBs. You may not be able to count on Ryan consistently, but the Falcons have a bit of positive momentum and a good home matchup, so expect the better version of Ryan this week.

More Weekly Lineup Prep