As we get closer to the halfway point of the fantasy football season, bye weeks and injuries make start and sit decisions even more vital.
With the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Rams all on a bye, there’s a lot of fantasy firepower sitting on the bench this week.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
You also can check out our start and sit bench list for Week 7.
Here is a look at some of the tough start and sit decisions in fantasy football for Week 7:
Sit: TE Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
For the first time this season, Gesicki showed up for fantasy managers. He posted six receptions on seven targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns — all of which were season-highs. Gesicki also saw a season-high 16% target share, so why is he a sit this week? For one, it remains to be seen if this usage will continue. He hasn’t posted above a 12% target share in any other game this season and has hit a double-digit target share just twice, including Week 6. Secondly, the Pittsburgh Steelers have allowed the third-fewest PPR points per game to tight ends over the last three weeks. It’s tough considering the bye weeks, but we may want to temper expectations.
Start: TE Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants
The matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars isn’t all that enticing considering they have allowed the 11th-fewest PPR points per game to tight ends this season. But Bellinger has become a reliable target for Daniel Jones and has posted top-10 finishes in each of the last two weeks. He has at least a 16% target share in three of his last four games, so while the matchup isn’t great, the usage is there.
Sit: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs
Smith-Schuster finally had a big game within the Chiefs offense in Week 6, posting five receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. However, he did so on just a 14% target share, which is his second-lowest mark of the season. While he’s still considered the WR1 on the depth chart, he now takes on a 49ers defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to wide receivers. Bye weeks make it tough, but Smith-Schuster may not have the upside managers hope for in Week 7.
Start: WR Dionate Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Sometimes talent and opportunity don’t always lead to fantasy production. It’s rare, but in Johnson’s case, he has been essentially unusable for the majority of the season. That could change, at least for Week 7, when the Steelers visit the Miami Dolphins for the Sunday night game. Johnson is sporting a robust 28% target share, and the Dolphins have allowed the 10th-most PPR points per game to wide receivers this season. It’s been a rough season for Johnson, but this is a strong spot to start him.
Sit: WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
As the Elijah Moore drama will keep the second-year wideout off the field in Week 7, that usually would lead us to believe Wilson will be hyper-targeted. However, the Jets have one of the lowest pass rates over the last three weeks since Zach Wilson’s return. That likely has more to do with game script than anything, but Wilson also draws a tough matchup against a Denver Broncos defense allowing the fewest PPR points per game to the position this season. Those hoping to sneak Wilson into the lineup for a potential bounce back should probably look the other way.
Start: WR Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
A late touchdown grab may have saved Pierce’s fantasy outing during the Week 6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the rookie is seeing steady usage and the production to match. Pierce has seen at least six targets in each of his last three games, and his matchup is extremely favorable for some upside. The Tennessee Titans have allowed the most PPR points per game to wide receivers this season, making Pierce a strong upside play during a rough bye week.
Sit: RB David Montgomery, Chicago Bears
There are likely plenty of fantasy managers who don’t have a choice but to start Montgomery. Considering his workload, that’s fine. But we may want to temper expectations for the Bears lead back in Week 7. The New England Patriots have been a disastrous matchup for running backs, allowing just 13.0 PPR points per game to the position. They are the only defense that has kept running backs out of the end zone, both on the ground and through the air. That trend will end eventually, but the Bears offense doesn’t provide much confidence that Montgomery will be the one to break that scoreless streak.
Start: RB Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens
Drake steps into the RB1 role in the Ravens backfield with J.K. Dobbins being ruled out. Dobbins is undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee and is likely out for at least the next month. Drake took 10 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown in Week 6, and he has a strong chance to follow that up against a Cleveland Browns defense that has allowed the most PPR points per game over the last three weeks. Drake is a strong RB2 with upside, especially if Gus Edwards isn’t activated this week.
Sit: Denver Broncos RBs
The Broncos offense continues to be a mess, and it somehow became even worse for the backfield when Latavius Murray was thrown into the mix in Week 6. Melvin Gordon was benched, and Mike Boone continues to take snaps on third downs. While Murray led the way with 16 carries, the majority of work could still go right back to Gordon. Sifting through this backfield isn’t worth it considering the offense isn’t providing the type of opportunities we thought it would, and the matchup isn’t great, either. The New York Jets have allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points per game to the position over the last three weeks, so this group should largely be avoided if possible.
Start: RB Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
One of our sleepers for Week 7, Pollard is in a great position to explode during the bye-pocalypse. He’s not seeing elite usage and much of his receiving work has left a lot to be desired. However, Detroit has allowed the second-most PPR points per game to running backs this season, and Pollard has finished as an RB2 in three of his last five games. Both running backs for Dallas are high-upside plays in Week 7.
Sit: QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Coming off the bye week, the Lions should have a lot of their assets healthy, like D’Andre Swift and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Goff has played well in favorable matchups, but this may be one that managers want to avoid for Week 7. The Dallas Cowboys have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and have yet to allow a QB1 finish this season.
Start: QB Start Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
Even though the 49ers were upset by the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6, Jimmy GQ still posted a QB9 finish. He finds himself in another positive matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, one where the 49ers are likely to have to score a lot to keep up. How much Christian McCaffrey will play remains to be seen, but having that addition in the backfield will help even if he is a bit limited. The Chiefs have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to the position and five QB1 finishes this season.
