Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey, Davante Adams, or Travis Kelce. Instead, I’ll look at the players you have the most questions about to help you set the most effective starting lineup possible. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2021 NFL season.
Byes: Bills, Chargers, Cowboys, Jaguars, Steelers, Vikings
Week 7 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Aaron Rodgers vs. Football Team (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Rodgers hasn’t been nearly as productive this season compared to 2020, as he’s failed to hit the 20-point mark in three of his first six games. Still, he’s a must-start when the Packers host the Football Team this weekend. Their defense has allowed five different quarterbacks to score 22-plus points this season, including four who have scored more than 25 fantasy points.
Week 7 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
• QUARTERBACKS
• RUNNING BACKS
• WIDE RECEIVERS
• TIGHT ENDS
• KICKERS
• TEAM DEFENSES
Start ‘Em
Matthew Stafford vs. Lions (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Stafford has been phenomenal in his first five games with the Rams, throwing 16 touchdown passes with just four picks. He’ll be a top-10 fantasy option this week in a revenge game against the Lions, who have given up 19-plus fantasy points to three quarterbacks in their last five games. With six teams on a bye, Stafford should be active in most fantasy football leagues.
Ryan Tannehill vs. Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Tannehill has been a disappointment this season, ranking 20th in fantasy points among quarterbacks. Still, this week’s game against the Chiefs makes him a viable starter during “bye-mageddon.” This season, Kansas City has allowed four quarterbacks to score 28-plus fantasy points, including three who have put up over 30 points. That all makes Tannehill a pretty attractive option.
Derek Carr vs. Eagles (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Carr put up a strong effort last week, scoring 21.5 points in a win over the Broncos. He has now scored 20-plus points in four of his six games on the season, and a matchup against the Eagles makes him a nice option this week. Their defense has allowed 19-plus fantasy points to three quarterbacks in their last four games, and that trio combined for 10 touchdowns.
Matt Ryan at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Fox): You know the old saying, “desperate times call for desperate measures?” Well, Ryan should be considered a viable starting option this week with six teams on a bye. He’s put up 21-plus fantasy points in two straight games, and a contest against the Dolphins makes him a nice streamer. Their defense has allowed 13 touchdown passes and the eighth-most points to enemy signal-callers.
More Starts
- Teddy Bridgewater at Browns (Thur., 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL)
- Tua Tagovailoa vs. Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
- Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Colts (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
DFS Bargains
- Derek Carr vs. Eagles ($6,000)
- Matt Ryan at Dolphins ($5,700)
- Tua Tagovailoa vs. Falcons ($5,500)
Week 7 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Sit of the Week
Daniel Jones vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): After a great start to the season, Jones has dealt with injuries to both himself and several of his offensive teammates in the last two weeks. He’ll be a difficult sell this week, as the G-Men host the Panthers at MetLife Stadium. Their defense has given it up to quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins, Dak Prescott, and Jalen Hurts, but Jones isn’t on that level, and his offense is a total mess.
Sit ‘Em
Baker Mayfield vs. Broncos (Thur. 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL): Mayfield came crashing back to earth last week, scoring 12.2 fantasy points in a loss to the Cardinals. He’s also not at 100 percent dealing with a painful left shoulder injury that had his arm in a sling earlier in the week. The matchup isn’t great either, as the Broncos have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season.
© Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Taylor Heinicke at Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Heinicke has gone into the tank over the last two weeks, scoring a combined 19.2 fantasy points. He had averaged more than that in his previous three games. Next up is a date with the Packers, who have been tough on quarterbacks. In fact, they haven’t allowed a signal-caller to score more than 18.4 fantasy points in their last five games. Put Heinicke on the bench this week.
Justin Fields at Buccaneers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Fields has locked in the starting job in Chicago, but he’s simply not a startable asset in fantasy leagues. He scored 13.3 points last week, and that’s the most he’s produced in a single game in four starts. So while the Buccaneers defense has been bad against quarterbacks, Fields hasn’t done enough as a passer to warrant consideration as a starter in traditional fantasy formats.
Jared Goff at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): With injuries galore and six teams on a bye, you have to stick with your top options at quarterback in most cases. So while sitting Goff is obvious in traditional leagues, I’d also beware him in multi-quarterback leagues. He does have the revenge game narrative against a Rams team that jettisoned him in the offseason, but Goff has looked terrible in recent weeks, and the matchup is awful.
More Sits
- Joe Burrow at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Mac Jones vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Geno Smith vs. Saints (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
DFS Fades
- Joe Burrow at Ravens ($6,200)
- Daniel Jones vs. Panthers ($5,400)
- Justin Fields at Buccaneers ($5,300)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!
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