NFL fantasy football start/sit week 7

by Matt Bachota · Published October 20, 2017 · Updated October 20, 2017

Wow! If you stayed up you saw a terrific Thursday night football game between the Chiefs and the Raiders. A game that saw seven lead changes. The Raiders with 18 seconds left score a touchdown, have it over turned, score another touchdown to Crabtree, this time taken away by an offensive pass interference. Chiefs take a holding penalty with three seconds left to put the Raiders at the five yard line. Two untimed plays later, Derek Carr hits Michael Crabtree for a touchdown to tie the game. The extra point would barely be converted and the Raiders steal one at home from the Chiefs. Point Per Reception scoring has Amari Cooper with his first breakout game of the season outscoring his entire six week season so far with forty-four points. Alex Smith ended with thirty-five and Derek Carr with thirty points. If you played players in Thursday night football your probably pretty happy. Here’s who you can play from Sunday and Monday games, and who you probably shouldn’t in a Start/Sit segment from Perched on the Maryland Sports Blog.

Quarterback START

Matt Ryan- I get it, this one is tough. Ryan has as many or more interceptions as touchdowns in each of his past three games and has thrown for more than one touchdown in just one game this season. EVERY quarterback to face New England has thrown for more than 300 yards against them. The Patriots are giving up 24.19 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs so far, and I expect the Patriots to have no issue putting up points on Atlanta.

Dak Prescott- Dak has been hot, scoring 22-plus fantasy points in each of his last three games. He should continue to produce against the 49ers, who have allowed 18-plus fantasy points to three of the last four quarterbacks to face them. That includes a pair of monster 23-plus point performances.

Quarterback SIT

Phillip Rivers- Rivers finished with 14.2 fantasy points in a win over the Raiders. He should remain on the bench against the Broncos, who have allowed just 14.5 points to quarterbacks. Rivers has finished with fewer than 14 fantasy points in all but three of his 12 career home starts against the Denver Broncos.

Jameis Winston- Even if Winston plays for the Bucs, honestly he’s not playing for you on the road against a Bills team that has given up two passing touchdowns all season long and has allowed only two quarterbacks to score double-digit fantasy points this season. Ideally your finding another quarterback to pick up off the waiver wire, or hope you already have a second QB on your roster.

Running Back START

Jordan Howard- Howard has had 55 carries, more than any other running back in the league. The Panthers have allowed a running back score in three of their past four games.

Mark Ingram- Ingram went off against the Lions last week in an insanely high scoring game, posting two touchdowns and 30 PPR points in his first game of the season without Peterson on the roster. The Alabama product along with his backfield mate Alvin Kamara should remain in fantasy lineups against a Packers defense that has allowed double-digit PPR points to seven different backs.

Running Back SIT

LeGarrette Blount- Blount has been a roller coaster fantasy player for owners this season, scoring nine or fewer points in two straight games after going for double digits in the previous two. I’d want to keep him on the bench against the Redskins, who have allowed just three rushing touchdowns to backs and held Blount to 46 yards on the ground back in Week 1!

Matt Forte- Forte saw 58 percent of the Jets offensive snaps a week ago, and his 16.1 PPR points was his best total of the season. Regardless, the veteran can’t be trusted ahead of this week’s matchup in Miami (with or without Bilal Powell). The Dolphins have let just one runner, Alvin Kamara to score more than 10.7 PPR points in their last four games.

Wide Receiver START

Dez Bryant- I have Dak as a start so its only fitting that the lead pass catcher for Dallas makes the list here as well as a start against the thirty-first ranked pass defense in the league. He has 10 targets this season on balls thrown into the end zone, two more than any other player in the league and he’s tied for third in red zone targets. Meanwhile, San Francisco doesn’t have anyone in that thirty-first ranked secondary who can keep up with Dez. The Niners are tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed and the fifth-highest completion percentage on passes 15-plus yards downfield to wide outs this season.

Adam Thielen- Thielen has been a targets machine for the Vikings and fantasy owners alike, as he ranks seventh among wide receivers. What’s more impressive is that despite not scoring a single touchdown this season, he still ranks thirteenth in PPR scoring at the position. So despite a tough matchup against the Ravens, I’d keep Thielen in your lineups.

Wide Receiver SIT

TY Hilton- If you are a believer in the off-again, on-again pattern, this a “on” week for Hilton, as he was elite in Weeks three and five, but a dud in Weeks four and six. But that was much more due to matchup and he has now had fewer than 60 yards in four of six games this year. Against a Jags defense that generates plenty of pressure, so it makes me nervous for Hilton, as 47.8 percent of Hilton’s fantasy points since 2014 have come via the deep pass. The Jaguars are one of only three teams in the NFL to not allow a touchdown pass on a ball thrown 15 or more yards this season. Hilton is outside my top 20 this week.

Sammy Watkins- Watkins, finished with 2.1 PPR points last week. He’s now had fewer than three PPR points in three straight games, so this is more of a trend than an outlier for the injury plagued receiver. While the matchup against Arizona would be a lot better if corner Patrick Peterson were sidelined, Watkins remains very tough to trust.

Tight End START

Jimmy Graham- Graham has caught fire after a slow start, scoring 10-plus PPR points in three straight games despite scoring just one touchdown in that time. He should find the end zone this week, though, as he’ll face a Giants defense that has surrendered the most yards, the most touchdown catches and the most fantasy points to tight ends.

Tight End SIT

Coby Fleener- Fleener has seen his numbers sink in recent weeks, as he’s scored a combined 7.2 fantasy points in his last three games and was held without a point in last week’s high scoring win over the Detroit Lions. Next is a date with the Packers, who haven’t allowed a touchdown and rank as the third-toughest defense for opposing tight ends to score against.

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