Last week brought a lot of changes to the landscape of the NFL. This week, we are all doing our best to predict what was real, and what was just a fluke. Who should we start and sit? Let's see what we've got. This list will exclude the every-week lineup starters, like Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, etc. Let’s get into it.
Teams on Bye: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers
"STARTS" OF THE WEEK: QB
Tua Tagovailoa vs Detroit Lions
Tua's welcome back from his head injury in week 7 was a not-so-special 15 point performance. This week, he has another prime matchup against the Lions. Detroit is #29 against QBs, and I expect the Dolphins high-flying offense to do just that, fly high.
Daniel Jones vs Seattle Seahawks
Danny Dimes has looked a bit like Danny Fullback most of the time this year, but he has been one of the most opportunistic QBs in the league through 7 weeks. This years QB9 thus far just put up 28 fantasy points on the Jaguars and now enters another green matchup against the Seahawks. A lot to like now for the Giants QB.
Kirk Cousins vs Arizona Cardinals
Kirk Cousins has scored more than 20 fantasy points coming off of a bye week in 4 of his last 6 seasons. Not only is he coming off of a bye this week, but he is also facing a Cardinals defense that allows19.5 points per game to the QB position. This is a matchup that you absolutely have to take advantage of this week.
"SITS" OF THE WEEK: QB
Tom Brady vs Baltimore Ravens
On paper, this looks like a good matchup. The Ravens are actually ranked 25th vs the QB. With that being said, they are very good at generating turnovers and the Bucs have been... bad. Really, really bad. I just don't trust Brady in my lineups at this point in the season.
Trevor Lawrence vs Denver Broncos
Lawrence has been good as of late, including a solid 18.7 points in week 7. The problem? Denver gives up the least points to the QB position of any team in the NFL. Lawrence is far from a matchup-proof QB, so the matchup makes him an automatic sit this week.
Jimmy Garoppolo vs Los Angeles Rams
Jimmy G has been very solid in weeks 5-7, putting up QB1 numbers each of those 3 weeks. It is worth noting that those 3 weeks were positive matchups for the QB position. Back in week 4, Garoppolo put up a mediocre 13 points against this same Rams team. If you are desperate, he may shock us, but I highly doubt a solid game is in the works for Jimmy G.
"STARTS" OF THE WEEK: RB
Photo by: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA TODAY Sports
Tony Pollard vs Chicago Bears
Ezekiel Elliott had a great game last week if you look at touchdowns, but Tony Pollard actually out-snapped and out-performed Zeke in week 7. The Bears give up a lot of points to the RB position and are typically weak against outside runs. Outside runs are Pollard's part of the offense, not Zeke's, so I expect a solid fantasy performance from Pollard this week.
D'Onta Foreman vs Atlanta Falcons
Foreman and Chuba Hubbard were pretty close to a 50/50 split in their first action without Christian McCaffrey, and both of them were very effective. Hubbard is technically the starter, but he suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss a bit of time in week 7. Even though I expect Hubbard to play this week, he may be slightly limited thanks to the ankle injury. That gives Foreman a bit of a boost in a favorable matchup.
Raheem Mostert vs Detroit Lions
Mostert continues to play as a RB2 in fantasy. He is playing about 70% of the snaps on offense for Miami right now, and he is facing the Lions. Detroit is ranked 30th against RBs, giving up almost 30 points per week to the position. Mostert is getting close to being a plug and play RB, but for now, I will just continue to reenforce why he should be a start.
"SITS" OF THE WEEK: RB
David Montgomery vs Dallas Cowboys
Montgomery is in a very unpredictable split at the moment with backup Khalil Herbert. Week 5, Montgomery played 72% of the Bears offensive snaps. In week 6, that number went up to 78%. Then, out of nowhere in week 7, he only played 56% and touched the ball 15 times compared to Herbert's 13. I do not see consistent usage for Montgomery at the moment, and he now faces a top 5 defense vs the RB in the Dallas Cowboys. Keep Montgomery on the bench if you can help it.
Darrell Henderson vs San Francisco 49ers
Henderson is currently the starter for the Rams after all of the Cam Akers drama, but for how long? Henderson was not the most effective as the starter in week 6, and there are some whispers of him now splitting some work with other backs in that offense. A name to keep an eye on moving forward is rookie RB Kyren Williams, who is on IR but was designated to return this week and may be activated before this game. There are just too many red flags for me to feel confident with Henderson this week.
James Robinson vs New England Patriots
I'm sure a lot of people saw the Robinson trade to the Jets and thought it was a great move for his fantasy value. This sit designation is not me saying he will be a flop all season. However, between the matchup vs the Pats and the fact that he hasn't been with the Jets for even a week, I expect him to be limited in their game plan until he's up to speed.
"STARTS" OF THE WEEK: WR
Tyler Lockett vs New York Giants
Lockett has actually been decent so far this season, but he hasn't been someone I have banged the table to play. Now that he is the clear WR1 for the Seahawks with DK out, I like Lockett's short term outlook. He does have a tough matchup vs the Giants, but I am not too worried in this case because of the performance of the Seahawks offense in recent weeks and his recent jump up the depth chart.
Devonta Smith vs Pittsburgh Steelers
When you talk Eagles receivers, the eyes are always on AJ Brown. What if I told you that Smith has actually out-performed Brown in their last 4 games (56.7 points - 48.9 points), and he has outscored Brown in 2 of the 4 games. This is more of a split than we believed, and now the Eagles are playing the Steelers who allow the 2nd most points to WRs. I love Smith as a play in your lineups this week.
DJ Moore vs Atlanta Falcons
DJ Moore looked like a new man last week with PJ Walker at QB. He saw his typical target-share, but for the first time this season... he actually caught passes! He now faces Atlanta, who gives up the most points to WRs, coming off of his highest catch and yardage game of the season. Count me in!
"SITS" OF THE WEEK: WR
Rashod Bateman vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Ravens passing offense started the season on fire, but they are now sputtering. Thanks to that and his injuries, Bateman has not scored double digit points since week 2. There was hope that Bateman could be a consistent force in fantasy this season, but for now, I do not believe that he is startable until the Ravens start to figure things out in the passing game.
Michael Gallup vs Chicago Bears
There were also high hopes for Gallup once he returned from his injury, and even more so when Dak returned as well, but last week was not so great. Gallup saw just 2 targets and failed to catch a pass. The Dallas offense just looks to be going in a different direction as of now, so I am not comfortable starting Gallup until something changes.
Terry McLaurin vs Indianapolis Colts
Scary Terry owners are now flying high seeing him score a TD and get his highest fantasy output of the season with Taylor Heineke at QB. I am not chasing fantasy points though. The Colts have the best defense against WRs in the league and he still is a low ceiling WR at this point in the season. I am looking elsewhere, if possible.
"STARTS" OF THE WEEK: TE
Evan Engram vs Denver Broncos
For the first time in a long time, we have seen some sort of sustained success for Evan Engram. He has had 6 or more targets each of the last 3 weeks and has finished as a top 10 TE 2 of those 3 weeks. With both Travis Kelce and Gerald Everett on bye, we need to take some players that are receiving opportunities and hope they can put it together. Engram has fit that criteria in recent weeks.
Irv Smith Jr. vs Arizona Cardinals
Irv Smith has been very underwhelming so far, but the matchup is prime for him this week. The Cardinals give up the 2nd most points to tight ends. They have also allowed 6 TDs to tight ends through 7 weeks. With how touchdown-dependent the position is, this could be your best shot to get a TD this week.
"SITS" OF THE WEEK: TE
Kyle Pitts vs Carolina Panthers
One of our candidates for biggest disappointment of the season on our early-week episode makes the sits for this week. Pitts is a great talent, but the Falcons just aren't throwing the ball. Even with the team losing for almost the entire game last week, the Falcons only threw 13 passes. Even with the weak tight end position, 3-5 targets and 1-3 catches just can't do it most weeks.
Hayden Hurst vs Cleveland Browns
Hurst has been a savior at the position over recent weeks, scoring 7 or more points in 3 of his last 4 games and scoring 2 TDs in that stretch. Cleveland is a top 10 defense vs TEs, having held some top players like Mark Andrews, Gerald Everett under 1 half-ppr point in their matchup. Expect a lot of the Bengals receiving points to go to their stable of WRs this week.
"STARTS" OF THE WEEK: DST
Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans
The Titans have only scored less than 9 points 2 times all season, and one of those games was against Buffalo, so I give that a pass. Houston is not exactly a top offense either, so I could see another one of those 9+ point games here.
Las Vegas Raiders vs New Orleans Saints
The Raiders defense are coming off of a 13 point performance to now face Andy Dalton and the New Orleans Saints. Last week, Dalton threw 2 pick-6's and 3 total INTs to the Cardinals defense. He is turnover-prone, so I expect a few of them to come to the Raiders.
"SITS" OF THE WEEK: DST
Green Bay Packers vs Buffalo Bills
The Packers are a solid defense on paper, but they just haven't lived up to expectations yet. And they are facing the Bills. I don't think I need to say much more than that.
Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings
I just talked about the Cardinals success last week just 2 paragraphs ago, but now I am here to tell you to not chase the fantasy points! They are coming off of back-to-back 17-point performances, but now face the #4 offense vs DSTs in fantasy. Try your best to find a better matchup for this week.
Good luck this week!! Be sure to follow the Couch GMs on Twitter for the latest news on who is in and who is out this week. Listen to this week's podcast for even more insight on who you should start and who you should sit. Our DMs are always open for any fantasy advice you may need to win your matchup.
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