Week seven is here. Six team’s are on byes this week inducing fantasy football managers many headaches filling out a lineup. Before you finalize your lineups, our League Winners staff is here to help you out with any tough start or sit decisions you may be facing.
Let’s get to it, League Winners!
Start
Chuba Hubbard, RB – Carolina Panthers (Joe O’Leary)
Those who made Chuba Hubbard a priority waiver wire pick up a few weeks ago have been rewarded with steady PPR production. Hubbard is averaging 15.9 PPR points per game over his last two starts. His role seems secure, handling a solid 65 percent snap share in the previous two games. Chuba gets a Giants defense that has been a pretty fantasy-friendly matchup to running backs this week. Fire up Chuba Hubbard as a solid fantasy football RB2 once again.
CJ Uzomah, TE – Cincinnati Bengals (Matthew Morris)
As usual, the tight-end landscape in fantasy football is challenging to navigate in 2021. Between injuries, inconsistency, and bye weeks, you may be looking for a streamer in Week 7. CJ Uzomah is quietly the TE16 in PPR through six weeks, due in large part to a big 5/95/2 performance against Jacksonville in Week 4. Uzomah’s matchup and current usage make him appealing this week. The Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens, who are 30th in the NFL against the tight end position. The Ravens give up an average of 10 targets, seven receptions, and 11 fantasy points to the tight end. Uzomah has seen an increase in targets from five in Weeks 1-3, to 11 in Weeks 4-6. Uzomah has turned those 11 targets into 10/126/3. While Uzomah may not be a sexy name to start, I believe he presents a solid floor in this matchup.
James Conner, RB – Arizona Cardinals (Jeremy Shulman)
With so many fantasy football teams struggling to find starters this weekend, you’re probably not hesitating to start James Conner against the Texans. I’m expecting another big game from the touchdown artist, who has looked great early this season. The Cardinals have become a more dynamic offense this year, both spreading out the passing game work and running the ball much better than they have in the past. Thanks in large part to Conner, their red zone futility is a thing of the past, leading the league in red-zone touchdowns. Fire up James Conner as a strong RB2 this week who could, once again, return RB1 numbers.
Rashod Bateman, WR – Baltimore Ravens (Keith James)
Look, times are tough. Byemaggedon is upon us. With many fantasy football stars out on bye this week, fantasy managers are forced to dig deep for production. Lucky for us, some talented rookies have come back from IR just in time. One of those rookies is Rashod Bateman. The Raven’s first-round pick made his NFL debut in week six and was welcomed with six targets for a 20% target share. Bateman is a sound route runner and has excellent body control. Bateman will be used, and he could be fantasy gold against the Cincinnati defense in week seven.
Darnell Mooney, WR – Chicago Bears (Thomas Christopher)
Darnell Mooney has quickly become rookie quarterback Justin Fields’ favorite target in his early career. Mooney has continued to thrive in his presence, surpassing elite WR Allen Robinson in production so far this season. The Bears face the Bucaneers this week, a team who has been a sieve to wide receivers in fantasy football. With the game likely heading in the direction of a Bucs win, expect the Bears and Mooney to have a big deal passing.
Sit
Tyler Boyd, WR – Cincinnati Bengals (Joe O’Leary)
The return of Tee Higgins to the lineup the last couple of weeks has unfortunately curbed the upside for Tyler Boyd. Having to share a larger piece of the pie with Higgins and phenom rookie Ja’Marr Chase, Boyd has totaled just five receptions for 31 yards in the last two weeks. The script may be positive in Boyd’s favor this week versus the Ravens on the road, but if you have better options, you may want to utilize them. Boyd remains a volatile flex option until further notice.
Jakobi Meyers, WR – New England Patriots (Matthew Morris)
Through six weeks, Jakobi Meyers leads all New England pass-catchers with a 25% target share. While that is a sizable target share, it is important to note that 50% of his targets came in Weeks 3 and 4, where he had 26 targets between the two games. In Weeks 5 & 6, Meyers came back down to earth with 11 targets for 9/100/0, leaving fantasy football managers wanting more. This week, Meyers and the Patriots face a New York Jets secondary allowing only 14.4 fantasy points per week to the wide receiver position, 2nd in the NFL. Meyers will require the type of usage we saw in Weeks 3 & 4 to produce for fantasy, and the game script for week seven doesn’t seem to favor that. I’m leaving Meyers on the bench for any better option in Week 7.
Corey Davis, WR – New York Jets (Jeremy Shulman)
You’re probably contemplating Corey Davis this week as a flex option, and I’m here to tell you, “don’t do it.” While Davis has the talent to break a big play or even get loose in the red zone, the Patriots excel at scheming out an offense’s best option. That’s Davis, who back in week two only managed eight yards on two receptions. I’m sitting Davis everywhere I have him this week, and going with a guy in a similar tier with a better matchup.
Khalil Herbert, RB – Chicago Bears (Keith James)
Khalil Herbert was a waiver wire hero last week. With David Montgomery on IR and with Damian Williams a late scratch due to COVID-19, Herbert had an excellent day against the Packers. Herbert is a good back. He has subtle movements through tight spaces and is big enough to break tackles and fall forward. In week seven, however, Herbert faces the vaunted Tampa Bay Bucs. Nobody runs on the Bucs. I mean nobody. The Bucs are on pace to break the 2000 Raven’s least amount of rush yards given up; and that includes a 17-game season. With a likely negative game script that will call for the Bears to throw while playing from behind, Herbert is a strong fade in week seven.
Leonard Fournette, RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Thomas Christopher)
Leonard Fournette has seen good usage and production in the past two weeks, but I’m expecting a sharp decline against the Bears in Week 7. Fournette may have some relevance as a pass-catcher, but I see this being a game where Gio Bernard and Chris Godwin are heavily utilized. I expect little to come Lenny’s way in terms of rushing production against a Chicago Bears defense that continues to live up to its reputation. Sit Fournette in this matchup.
