Fantasy Football Week 7: Starts, Sits, and Sleepers

Photo: Joe Nicholson, USA Today Sports

Week 7 features a ton of bye weeks that will leave fantasy managers stressing over who to start or sit in their fantasy lineups. This weekly article is meant to make those lineup decisions a little bit easier. You can always listen to The Footballguys Fantasy Football Show, which releases episodes every weekday - also, check out the free Week 7 Player Rankings.

Quarterbacks

Start: Jordan Love, GB (at DEN) - Listen at 36:09

• Avg Fantasy Points: 19.2 (8th)
• Opponent vs QBs: 25.9 PPG (31st)
• Week 7 Rank: QB7
• Projected Points: 21.5

The Broncos have allowed five of six starting quarterbacks to score at least 19 fantasy points this season. Love started the season hot, with at least 19 fantasy points in four of his first five starts. Week 7 looks like it will be the first time that Love will have his full complement of weapons with the return of Aaron Jones.

Start: Brock Purdy, SF (at MIN) - Listen at 39:26

• Avg Fantasy Points: 18.0 (18th)
• Opponent vs QBs: 21.3 PPG (25th)
• Week 7 Rank: QB8
• Projected Points: 20.6

The Vikings have allowed four of six starting quarterbacks to score at least 19 fantasy points this season - the other two were rookie Bryce Young and Justin Fields, who only played the first half in Week 6. Before his Week 6 performance in the rain, Purdy averaged 20 fantasy points per game, 7th among fantasy quarterbacks.

Sleeper: Geno Smith, SEA (vs ARI)

• Avg Fantasy Points: 14.0 (23rd)
• Opponent vs QBs: 23.0 PPG (28th)
• Week 7 Rank: QB10
• Projected Points: 19.8

The Cardinals have allowed four of six starting quarterbacks to score at least 19 fantasy points this season - the other two scored 15 and 16 points, respectively. It hasn't been pretty for Smith, but he's been a Top-17 fantasy quarterback in three of his last four games - throwing for at least 290 passing yards in each of those games.

Tight Ends

Start: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta (@ TB) - Listen at 50:03

• Avg Fantasy Points: 8.8 (13th)
• Opponent vs TEs: 9.7 (13th)
• Week 7 Rank: TE9
• Projected Points: 9.5

The Buccaneers defense has been average against tight ends. Over five games, they've allowed four tight ends to reach 4 receptions and at least 35 yards. It's not much, but it's a good baseline for an athlete like Pitts. Pitts has back-to-back Top-8 performances where he's scored at least 14 PPR points. Desmond Ridder is throwing the ball a lot more - Falcons have the third-most pass attempts over the last three games. Given the heavy amount of players on bye this week (there aren't many starting options left at tight end), Pitts makes for a solid start in Week 7.

Start: Logan Thomas, Washington (@ NYG)

• Avg Fantasy Points: 9.9 (T-8th)
• Opponent vs TEs: 9.7 (13th)
• Week 7 Rank: TE10
• Projected Points: 9.3

The Giants have allowed four tight ends to score at least 8 PPR points over their last four games. In this fantasy football economy, 8 points is a great baseline for a tight end. New York is also allowing the third-highest yards per reception to tight ends. Thomas has been a Top-12 tight end in three games this season despite only playing four complete games.

Sit: Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams (vs PIT)

• Avg Fantasy Points: 7.2 (17th)
• Opponent vs TEs: 8.1 (8th)
• Week 7 Rank: TE18
• Projected Points: 6.3

The Steelers defense has allowed just one touchdown to tight ends this season. Since Cooper Kupp returned to the lineup, Higbee has averaged just three targets per game and has failed to surpass two receptions for more than 20 yards.