Fantasy Football Week 7 Lineup Decisions: Who to start, who to sit, must-start plays, flex plays and more

Fantasy Football is all about the matchups. Even though you drafted your team with certain hopes and intentions, your weekly lineup decisions shouldn't be determined by the order you picked your players in. You need to check who your players play and make sure you've got the right guys in -- and the wrong guys out.

We can take some educated guesses based on coaches film, meaningful data, healthy personnel, defensive schemes, track records, and key details of offenses. The things we know can help us minimize the impact of the things we don't know. This should lead to better decisions being made.

We'll go through every game and highlight the players who aren't obvious starts and sits (because you don't need to be told to sit Elic Ayomanor). You should feel more comfortable starting or sitting players based on the information given, and feeling comfortable with your Fantasy lineup before the games start is the best feeling in the world.

All lines from Caesars Sportsbook.

There's been only one game when the Steelers had over 100 rush yards from their running backs: against the Vikings in Ireland in Week 4. Not only have they been under 90 RB rush yards in their other games (all with Jaylen Warren), but they've failed to average even 3.7 yards per carry in those games. Enter the Bengals, who in their past four have allowed 4.9 yards per rush to running backs and are bottom-six in defensive total rush EPA and success rate allowed, with five rushing touchdowns given up. It's a good spot on a short week to try and get the run game going, even with Warren leading the charge. Warren led the Steelers run game last week against a tough Browns defense with 4.7 yards per rush on 11 carries while playing 63% of the snaps in the first three quarters.

Tee Higgins has posted 11.2 PPR points in each of his past two games. Those are tied for the fifth-best games he's put together in his career without Joe Burrow on the field with him. Gross, right? Well, it gets worse: In three of the other four games Higgins played well in without Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase was either injured or not yet in the NFL! So, just to drive the point home, Higgins has one career game with more than 12 PPR points with Chase active and Burrow not active. Joe Flacco seems to be a small upgrade for both receivers, so there's hope Higgins can nail down some weeks closer to 15 PPR points. Against the Browns last week was the second time Pittsburgh didn't allow a receiver to notch 15-plus PPR points in a game this season; the first was New England in Week 3. The problem for Higgins is that it's been high-volume No. 1 receivers (like Chase) who have brought home big numbers against the Steelers. Due to scarcity at the position, Higgins is a high-end No. 3 or flex receiver this week as expectations remain mid. 

MUST-STARTS: Ja'Marr Chase

STARTS: DK Metcalf, Jaylen Warren (PPR), Steelers DST

FLEX: Tee Higgins, Chase Brown

SITS: Aaron Rodgers (high-end No. 2 QB), Joe Flacco, Kenneth Gainwell (desperation PPR RB), Jonnu Smith (desperation TE), Noah Fant, Darnell Washington, Andrei Iosivas, Pat Freiermuth, Samaje Perine, Bengals DST

Jacksonville's pass rush pressure rate has dipped under 32% in its past two games as stud Travon Walker has either missed time or been limited. No surprise, they have two total sacks in those games. Giving Matthew Stafford time to throw, even against zone-heavy coverage, is a recipe for a loss, but I'm not sure the Jaguars are willing to blitz a lot more even without Puka Nacua on the field. Tutu Atwell has stepped up as recently as last year when the Rams have had injured receivers, as he adds a speed element while capable of lining up everywhere. The Jaguars have been burned by big plays and speedy receivers all season, making Atwell someone with sleeper appeal. Stafford also carries some sleeper appeal, even without Nacua, because the matchup doesn't figure to be that difficult.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen emphasized this week that the team needs to do a better job running the ball, but he's got a tough opponent to do it against. The Rams are the only team left to not allow a running back to rush for a touchdown against them, and they're also the team to hold Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry to a combined 3.5-yard rushing average over the past four weeks (Henry wound up averaging 4.6 yards per run last week but didn't have a run longer than 12 yards). That matchup works against Travis Etienne, which is why Fantasy managers should hope for a continued workload through the air. Etienne has nine targets and seven catches in his past two games, salvageable numbers for his PPR floor. That keeps him in the No. 2 RB range, even in a tough spot.

MUST-STARTS: Kyren Williams, Davante Adams

STARTS: Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Etienne, Rams DST

FLEX: Tutu Atwell (No. 3 WR)

SITS: Matthew Stafford (high-end No. 2 QB), Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Whittington, Travis Hunter, Parker Washington, Dyami Brown, Bhayshul Tuten, Blake Corum, LeQuint Allen    

I'm always keyed in on matchups of ex-defensive playcallers taking on their former teams, and ex-Saints coach Dennis Allen is in that exact spot this week as his old team takes on his current team in Chicago. Allen's guys are on a roll -- they held the Commanders to 3.5 yards per carry last week, thanks in large part to the return of linebacker T.J. Edwards and some really solid play from their secondary to limit big plays. Saints QB Spencer Rattler seems to be about the same against man and zone coverages, and pressure versus no-pressure pass rushes, but I figure Allen knows his strengths and weaknesses best and will put his improved defense in a position to slow the entire Saints offense down. That could make for a one-sided game for the Bears, and thus providing opportunities for Caleb Williams and D'Andre Swift (even against a suddenly stingy Saints run defense) to keep up their solid play from Monday night. 

MUST-STARTS: Rome Odunze

STARTS: Caleb Williams, D'Andre Swift, Bears DST (one-week only)

FLEX: Chris Olave (PPR), Alvin Kamara

SITS: Spencer Rattler, Rashid Shaheed (desperation flex), Luther Burden (stash), Olamide Zaccheaus, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, Kendre Miller, Colston Loveland (stash), Kyle Monangai, Saints DST

The primary reason why you're starting Harold Fannin Jr. is because he figures to see a lot of targets with tight end David Njoku sidelined. Dillon Gabriel has targeted tight ends on 36.1% of his throws in his two starts -- that's massive, guys. Taking on a struggling Dolphins defense helps, as they've let up at least 11 PPR points to Dalton Kincaid, Mason Taylor, and Oronde Gadsden in the last four weeks (no one on the Panthers could come through in Week 5). Fannin is much more of a receiver than a blocker, which is good, and he has some nice versatility in his routes, even though he doesn't always play with good speed. Unless Quinshon Judkins runs roughshod over the Dolphins, which is possible, Fannin should be solid.

When these teams played last year, the Browns blitzed about a third of the time, got plenty of pass rush pressure on the quarterback, and even sacked him four times. Yet the Dolphins won 20-3 and the quarterback -- Tyler Huntley -- completed nearly 85% of his passes for 8.7 yards per attempt and scored 26.2 Fantasy points (rushing yardage and a rush TD helped). The point is that even with the Browns' aggressive pass rush, the Dolphins figure to come up with something to keep the game competitive. I would guess it would be a lot of quick throws, much like Miami has resumed doing (Tua Tagovailoa's 2.62 average time to throw ranks third fastest out of 34 qualifiers). It's tough to expect a big game from Tagovailoa this way, which is why any quarterback with a modest floor and high ceiling is a better play than he is.

MUST-STARTS: De'Von Achane

STARTS: Quinshon Judkins, Jaylen Waddle (No. 2 WR), Darren Waller, Harold Fannin

SITS: Tua Tagovailoa, Dillon Gabriel, Jerry Jeudy (desperation flex), Jerome Ford (desperation PPR RB), Isaiah Bond, Julian Hill, Malik Washington, Ollie Gordon II, Browns DST, Dolphins DST

The domino effect of Rashee Rice's return from suspension should result in some downgrades across the board for Chiefs players not named Patrick Mahomes. Both last year and in the preseason this year, Kansas City deployed Rice as a short- and intermediate target who lined up in the slot roughly half of his snaps. That's what Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster have been doing for the first six weeks of the season. And because Rice figures to command a lot of those short-range throws (especially against zone-leaning Las Vegas), Travis Kelce's 18% target share figures to take a dip. The Chiefs already have the seventh-highest pass rate in non-garbage time this season, so it's not like Rice's return will do anything to alter how many touches their running backs get. If anything, the matchup against the Raiders may offer some short-yardage touchdown chances for the running backs since Las Vegas has allowed five RB scores in their past three games (four inside the 3-yard line). If you're desperate, Kareem Hunt might be the guy to get you 10 Fantasy points ... but Rashee Rice should be good for much more than that if catches count.

MUST-STARTS: Patrick Mahomes

STARTS: Rashee Rice, Ashton Jeanty, Xavier Worthy (low-end No. 2 WR), Travis Kelce (low-end TE), Chiefs DST

FLEX: Tre Tucker, Jakobi Meyers, Kareem Hunt (low-end non-PPR flex)

SITS: Geno Smith, Marquise Brown (desperation WR), Michael Mayer (desperation TE), Tyquan Thornton, Isiah Pacheco, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jack Bech, Raheem Mostert, Raiders DST

Not having cornerback Quinyon Mitchell would be a big problem, as just about every other outside cornerback they've tried has struggled. The Eagles pass rush has also been an issue -- they have nine sacks in six games and have struggled to generate pressure on a game-to-game basis. Having defensive tackle Jalen Carter back would be huge (literally!), but the Vikings offensive line figures to be a lot healthier coming out of their bye, making the matchup easier for them and tougher for Philly. And if the Eagles' defense struggles like they did last week, then their offense will have no choice but to throw, just as they have in their games whenever they've trailed.    

MUST-STARTS: Jalen Hurts, Justin Jefferson, Saquon Barkley

STARTS: A.J. Brown (low-end No. 2 WR), Jordan Addison (low-end No. 2 WR), Jordan Mason (low-end No. 2 RB), Dallas Goedert, Eagles DST

FLEX: DeVonta Smith (high-end flex)

SITS: Carson Wentz, T.J. Hockenson (high-end No. 2 TE), Jahan Dotson, Zavier Scott, A.J. Dillon, Will Shipley

The Broncos pass rush completely humiliated the Jets offensive line last week, getting pass rush pressure on 58.6% of Justin Fields' dropbacks. For the Jets, this isn't anything new: a 47.2% pass rush pressure rate allowed by the Cowboys in Week 5 was an improvement compared to the 50%+ rate allowed to the Bills, Buccaneers, and Dolphins (!) in Weeks 2 through 4. In fact, three of the top-five most pressure rates allowed have come against the Jets. That's not all on the O-line -- it's also on Fields holding the ball too long or running around before making a decision on where to throw (or to run). Carolina's pass rush is among the most tepid in football, but even they should be able to get some pressure on Fields. They've already improved their run defense now that they're healthier up front (a league-best 1.5 yards per carry allowed against the Dolphins and Cowboys), and their secondary has been mostly good this year. Not having the receiver responsible for 29% of Fields' completions, 35% of Fields' yards, and 75% of Fields' passing touchdowns isn't exactly a good thing either. Fields clearly has the upside to run for 50 yards and a touchdown; it's everything else that he may or may not do that comes into question, including the Jets' desire to throw the ball, something they've done just 49.2% of their snaps with Fields outside of garbage time.    

STARTS: Rico Dowdle, Breece Hall, Tetairoa McMillan, Mason Taylor (low-end PPR TE)

SITS: Bryce Young, Justin Fields, Jalen Coker, Josh Reynolds, Tommy Tremble, Isaiah Davis, Tyler Johnson, Panthers DST, Jets DST 

The easiest thing the Titans can do to change their fortunes, at least offensively, is work to get the ball out of Cam Ward's hand faster. That'll be in play this week against a Patriots defense that's been great against the run and has the potential to wreck a game with its pass rush. Reliable short-area targets like Chig Okonkwo and Tyjae Spears should be blended into the game plan along with more work for veteran pass-catchers like Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett. Spears specifically ran much better than Tony Pollard last week at Las Vegas and also caught four passes to Pollard's two. Between changing things up and a likely negative game script, you could feasibly buy into Spears as the better PPR option.

This is more of an observation than a prediction: Last week, TreVeyon Henderson's quickness and vision were unquestionably better than Stevenson's. Henderson had at least four yards on 6 of 9 runs, and Stevenson had four-plus on 3 of 13 runs. The reason why I'm not predicting anything is because we've seen Henderson have better efficiency than Stevenson before, and it's led to no discernible change in their usage. I'm certain that the day is coming when Henderson will lead this backfield, but I can't predict it for this week, even if the matchup is more favorable for Henderson to attack the Titans' edges rather than have Stevenson plow into interior linemen. 

STARTS: Drake Maye, Patriots DST (should be good in Week 8 too)

FLEX: Stefon Diggs (high-end PPR flex), Rhamondre Stevenson (low-end flex), Tyjae Spears (low-end PPR flex)

SITS: Cam Ward, Tony Pollard (desperation RB), TreVeyon Henderson (sneaky sleeper), Kayshon Boutte (desperation WR), Chig Okonkwo, Van Jefferson, Elic Ayomanor, Demario Douglas, Hunter Henry, Titans DST

This feels like the week where the Jaxson Dart train slows down. Denver's defense has rapidly climbed to the top of the league in explosive RB runs allowed (two), RB rushing touchdowns allowed (one), pass rush pressure rate (46.5%), and sacks (30!). A lot of that had to do with their drubbing of the Jets last week, but even before last week, they were second in pass rush pressure rate and first in sacks with 21. New York deserves credit for improving its pass protection and for letting Dart play fast and loose, but this road matchup seems too tough for Dart to overcome. 

MUST-STARTS: Courtland Sutton

STARTS: Cam Skattebo, JK Dobbins, Evan Engram (borderline PPR starter), Broncos DST

FLEX: Wan'Dale Robinson (PPR)

SITS: Bo Nix, Jaxson Dart, Theo Johnson, R.J. Harvey, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jalin Hyatt, Giants DST

Playing against the terrible Dolphins run defense (minus a starting linebacker) obviously was a factor, but Kimani Vidal looked pretty dang good weaving his way. He seemed to rotate drives with Hassan Haskins until the third quarter, when the coaches opted to ride Vidal's hot hand, something he rewarded them with gains of 27, 13, and 7 yards on consecutive plays. Vidal had a number of big gains but didn't flash top-notch speed, getting ground on quick vision and finishing with power. Indianapolis' run defense is improving, lowering their rushing average against to a better-than-average 4.0 yards while limiting explosive plays to just 2.4%. That's a wake-up call for Vidal's Fantasy managers -- expecting another big game from him might be too much to ask for. However, it's not a mistake to figure he'll see a good dose of work on the ground and through the air, enough to keep him in No. 2 RB territory, just not top-10 territory. 

MUST-STARTS: Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman

STARTS: Justin Herbert, Daniel Jones, Ladd McConkey, Kimani Vidal (low-end No. 2 RB), Colts DST (borderline start)

FLEX: Keenan Allen, Josh Downs (PPR)

SITS: Oronde Gadsden, Alec Pierce, Hassan Haskins, Chargers DST

Bam Knight proved to be the better Cardinals running back last week, but it took a while for him to get his chance. Michael Carter started and dominated snaps until the Cardinals got near the goal line and changed him out for Emari Demercado for a play, then Knight for two, including his touchdown plunge. It wasn't until the Cardinals' fifth drive of the first half that Knight got a real opportunity to play, and from then on, he took on most of the snaps until the fourth quarter, when the Cardinals were trailing and Carter played in the hurry-up offense. It's that last note that makes me think Carter could be the better back this week -- the Packers figure to build a lead, if not keep the game competitive, pushing the game script closer to the Cardinals working at a quick rate. He's the better passing-downs back. Using either Arizona running back is a big-time risk, but in PPR formats (and maybe even non-PPR), Carter figures to be the better bet.     

Any game the Cowboys are in has shootout potential -- they've scored 27-plus in four of their past five and have allowed 30-plus in four of their past five (and 22 points in each game). Dallas' defense has shown flashes of life over the past two weeks, but it's not on the same level as Washington's. Dan Quinn's unit has thrived on man coverage (especially when trailing) and has started to win with pass rush pressure (14 sacks in their past four games, including a one-sack disappointment at Atlanta). That should give the Commanders an edge -- and a chance to get their offense fully back on track, run game included. 

MUST STARTS: Jayden Daniels, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Deebo Samuel

STARTS: Javonte Williams, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson

SITS: Zach Ertz (No. 2 TE), Luke McCaffrey, Chris Moore, Jeremy McNichols, Commanders DST, Cowboys DST

Jauan Jennings deserves credit for playing with all the ailments he claims. I thought his film from Week 6 was a mixed bag -- he flashed quick agility, but his straight-line speed didn't impress. Kendrick Bourne was about as solid, and he's healthier and was on the same page as Mac Jones, so it's easy to understand why he had so many more targets than Jennings. But change is coming: Not only did George Kittle start the week practicing, but so too did Brock Purdy. There's no reason for the 49ers to pull Bourne off the field if Purdy starts and Mac Jones sits, but the relationship Purdy has with Kittle and Jennings isn't the same as what he has with Bourne. It makes me nervous to trust either receiver, and the matchup against a suddenly upstart Falcons pass rush and pass defense (with top cornerback A.J. Terrell) doesn't make anything easier. 

MUST-STARTS: Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Drake London

STARTS: George Kittle, Kyle Pitts (if Darnell Mooney is out), Falcons DST (low-end starter)

FLEX: Jauan Jennings (if Brock Purdy plays), Kendrick Bourne (if Mac Jones plays)

SITS: Mac Jones, Michael Penix Jr., Tyler Allgeier (desperation RB), Brian Robinson Jr., Demarcus Robinson, 49ers DST

Five members of Detroit's secondary, including stud safety Brian Branch and cornerback Terrion Arnold, are not expected to play due to suspension or injury. Another defensive back, Kerby Joseph, is also banged up. It's a fortunate break for the Buccaneers, who figure to have Mike Evans back but won't have Emeka Egbuka after the rookie hurt his hamstring last week. Rookie Tez Johnson had an 84% route rate last week and figures to remain on the field to take advantage of the depleted defense. Veteran Sterling Shepard will probably man the slot more than anyone else. I wouldn't be surprised if all three, along with other pass-catchers (Cade Otton, Kameron Johnson), play a lot and the Bucs use a lot of spread formations to get a bunch of Lions cornerbacks and safeties on the field. Though the Lions pass rush is one of the most aggressive in the league (37% pass rush pressure rate and 19 sacks in their past five games), Baker Mayfield should have the chance at a very good game because of the downfield matchups his receivers should have.

MUST-STARTS: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs

STARTS: Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, Rachaad White, Mike Evans, Sam LaPorta

FLEX: Jameson Williams, David Montgomery (non-PPR)

SITS: Tez Johnson (desperation WR), Sterling Shepard (desperation WR), Cade Otton (desperation TE), Sean Tucker, Lions DST, Buccaneers DST

The Seahawks will win or lose on the arm of Sam Darnold this week. That's because Houston's run defense has allowed just 3.3 yards per carry in its past three games, with just three explosive runs allowed all season (no run longer than 21 yards!). Between the matchup and the workload split between Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, it's tough to expect a big game from either.

The Texans tend to play a lot of zone coverage and don't blitz much, yet still get good pass rush pressure from game to game. Darnold has been at his worst when pressured in 2025, seeing a nearly 30-percentage-point drop in completion rate and a 3.1-yard per attempt drop in efficiency when the heat's on. At least his offensive line has evolved into a better-than-average group in terms of pass rush pressure rate allowed, and Darnold deserves the benefit of the doubt based on how he's fared in road games at Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, as well as in his past home game against an equally aggressive Bucs defense.

MUST-STARTS: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Nico Collins

STARTS: Sam Darnold (low-end starter), C.J. Stroud (borderline starter), Kenneth Walker III (low-end No. 2 RB), Seahawks DST, Texans DST

FLEX: Woody Marks

SITS: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Charbonnet, Cooper Kupp (desperation PPR flex), Tory Horton (desperation flex), A.J. Barner (No. 2 TE), Nick Chubb, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, Dalton Schultz