Week 7 is right around the corner, and fantasy football owners everywhere are trying to optimize their lineups. Deciding on who to start and sit isn’t easy, especially when a player like Allen Lazard comes out of nowhere and puts together a huge game. Let’s take a dive into all of the best start/sits matchups of the week to put together the best lineup possible.
Running Back Start/Sits
Quarterback Start/Sits
Allen Lazard, Robby Anderson Highlight Fantasy Football Week 7 Start/Sits
Start: Allen Lazard
Opportunity is more important than talent in fantasy football, especially when your quarterback is Aaron Rodgers. Lazard had his breakout game on Monday Night Football, recording four receptions on five targets for 65 yards and one touchdown. While he only has five career receptions to his name, there are plenty of reasons to believe in his fantasy value moving forward.
For one, Aaron Rodgers trusts him. After injuries struck, Rodgers said that he lobbied for Lazard to see the field. Lazard answered the call, and he should be in a similar situation moving forward. Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Geronimo Allison are all fighting various injuries and might not play in Week 7. Should these guys miss action, Lazard is going to be the top receiving option against an underwhelming Oakland Raiders defense. Lazard should have another strong week of production and should be a solid flex play in 12-team leagues.
Edit: To the surprise of many, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison will play in Week 7. Unless you’re in a very deep league, you shouldn’t start Allen Lazard. Instead, plug somebody like Auden Tate into your lineup.
Sit: Robby Anderson
Robby Anderson broke out in a big way last week, recording five receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown in Sam Darnold’s return to action. Anderson is a talented player and Sam Darnold is more than capable of feeding him the ball in most matchups. Unfortunately, this is the wrong matchup.
The New England Patriots have a ridiculously talented defense. So far on the young season, they’ve scored more points than they allowed. Stephon Gilmore is playing like the best cornerback in football, and he historically knows how to take Anderson out of a game. In their first matchup of 2019, Gilmore held Anderson to just three receptions for 11 yards. In fairness, Anderson was catching passes from Luke Falk in their first go-round, which obviously didn’t help. However, going back to 2018 shows a similar story. In the 2018 finale, Gilmore limited Anderson to just three receptions for 24 yards. Robby Anderson is going to have a great year with Sam Darnold, but he’s not matchup-proof. It’s best to leave him on the bench in this one.
Start: Cole Beasley
In normal situations, Cole Beasley only carries value in PPR formats. However, Week 7’s matchup ensures that he’ll be a star regardless of scoring format. Beasley and Buffalo Bills are fresh off a bye week to face off against the hapless Miami Dolphins. Miami is terrible at just about everything, and that includes covering slot receivers. The Dolphins traded away Minkah Fitzpatrick and don’t really have anyone capable of covering the slot.
Beasley should get open on a regular basis, and Josh Allen tends to look for his trusty security blanket. The former Dallas Cowboy is currently averaging 7.8 targets per game, and Josh Allen has been surprisingly effective on short passes. Look for Beasley to put up a great outing against this terrible defense.
While we’re at it, start everyone on the Bills.
Sit: Terry McLaurin
As far as actual football goes, Terry McLaurin is the real deal. The rookie wide receiver has already outplayed his draft stock and has the skills to develop into one of the better wide receivers in the league. However, fantasy football and real football don’t always align. Even though McLaurin has the necessary skills to put up a solid outing, you’re probably better off leaving him on your bench.
The Washington Redskins face off against an absolutely elite San Francisco 49ers defense. The 49ers are arguably the best defense in the league, and their secondary limited Jared Goff to less than 100 passing yards in Week 6. Say what you will about Goff, but he’s considerably better than Case Keenum. The Redskins aren’t going to be able to move the ball through the air, and that issue is only going to be compounded by head coach Bill Callahan’s obsession with the run game. Terry McLaurin has a bright future in this league, but he’s not a smart start in Week 7.
Running Back Start/Sits
Quarterback Start/Sits
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
