The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 7
What a week of football we have ahead of us! Some games have massive over/unders and others seem so low it is almost comical. It makes the week a bit confusing about who to trust in those lower games and nerve-wracking in the big games to believe your players will be the ones to deliver. It’s good that the Fantasy Footballers are around to help navigate all that with their patented Starts of the Week segment during Thursday’s show. To check out the full episode on YouTube, follow the link below:
Of course, there are more players than they mention in this segment or even on the Thursday show, and if you want instant help, you can take a simple pathway. First, be or become a member of the Foot Clan. Second, go to the website and access The Ultimate Dash Board, which is full of custom rankings and tips tailored to your league settings. Third, dominate your league with knowledge and guidance your league mates dream of having, and relish the sweet taste of victory.
Let’s get into The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 7!
Andy’s Starts of the Week
QB – Kirk Cousins vs. SEA
This matchup is one of the games you hope you have players in this week. The over/under is 51.5, and both teams have a high pace of play. Cousins is at home in this game and ranks third in pass rate over expectation. The Falcons are letting Kirk cook and now face a defense ranked 26th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. In the last three weeks, Seattle’s defense allowed 35.7 points per game and 431 total yards, both of which rank 31st in the NFL. The best news is the Seattle offense will be able to keep up, which should make it a big week for Captain Kirk.
RB – Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson vs. CAR
Carolina’s defense against the run is so bad you can fire up both players this week and still feel pretty good. However, Andy wanted to highlight how good Ekeler has been this season. He is first in yards per touch at 8.6 and fourth in fantasy points per opportunity. As a pass catcher, Ekeler is also balling out. He is third among all RBs in receiving yards, first in yards per reception, and first in catch rate. Ekeler has been so good, and if he had the work all to himself, he wouldn’t even be in the Start of the Week category because everyone would just be playing him all the time. Now he faces Carolina, which is 30th in rushing yards allowed per game and 32nd in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. Look for Ekeler and Robinson to both deliver this week for fantasy.
WR – Zay Flowers @ TB
He has been rolling for the Ravens and has taken over as the primary pass catcher in the offense. In the last two weeks, he finished with seven receptions for 111 yards and nine receptions for 132 yards. Flowers is currently seeing 32% of the team’s targets, clearly the third head of the monster the Ravens want to use to attack defenses. They are facing a Tampa Bay defense that gets destroyed through the air, ranking 29th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs and 26th in the percentage of passes of 15+ yards allowed. Flowers should get a large helping of targets in yet another of this week’s high over/under games.
TE – Sam Laporta @ MIN
It is weird to put the number one drafted TE in this spot at the Start of the Week, but he has been underwhelming this season. Last week, Laporta finally got on the board with a TD. The reason for having more confidence is that opponents pass the ball 73% of the time against the Minnesota defense, the highest rate in the NFL. In fact, through five games, Minnesota has seen the third most passing attempts from their opponents of any team in the last decade. So, it looks like a game where Jared Goff and the Lions’ pass catchers must go to work. Even better for Laporta is that the Vikings rank 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. It could be a big week finally for the player many drafted early to be great.
Jason’s Starts of the Week
QB – Baker Mayfield vs. BAL
Lazer Mayfield has been pew pew pewing his way through the NFL as he leads the league in passing touchdowns. He has been a top-eight fantasy QB in five of the six weeks. Now he faces a Ravens defense that is a clear pass funnel defense. Baltimore ranks 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs, 31st in passing yards allowed, and 32nd in percentage of 15+ yards per pass play. Baltimore will be able to score on Tampa, and Baker and the Bucs should be able to score on Baltimore, making for a fantasy game of goodness.
RB – JK Dobbins @ ARI
Dobbins is the clear lead back with Gus Edwards on the IR, and last week Dobbins saw a season-high 73% of snaps and 27 opportunities. He’s been a top-12 back in three of five games, and right now, he looks like a league winner if he can stay healthy. This matchup on Monday night is perfect for Harbaugh’s high-T approach. Arizona’s opponents are running the ball at the third-highest rate in the NFL, and over the last four weeks, Arizona ranks 24th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. This matchup could be a game where Dobbins has an incredibly high workload again and can help carry your fantasy team to victory.
WR – Diontae Johnson @ WAS
Since Andy Dalton took over at QB, Johnson has been a revelation. He has been a top-12 WR in three of the four weeks and leads the entire NFL in end zone targets. Now Johnson faces a Washington defense that allows the fifth-highest yards per attempt at 7.5 yards and ranks dead last in explosive play permitted rate. It is an excellent week to get Johnson into your lineup, where he should continue to be a fantasy stud while Dalton is under center.
TE – David Njoku vs. CIN
Trust the process on this pick because trusting Voldemort rarely works out. However, Njoku looks like the top option left for the offense. Last week, he saw a 30% target share right off of injury, and now Amari Cooper, who was leading the NFL in targets, has gone to Buffalo. Unlike Jerry Jeudy, who will see targets down the field where Watson struggles, Njoku will be right around the line of scrimmage, and it will be perfect for Watson to dump it off when he isn’t being sacked. Add that the Bengals are the 24th-ranked defense in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to the TE, and the process says that Njoku is a worthy start this week.
Mike’s Starts of the Week
QB – Geno Smith @ ATL
Andy targeted the team on the other side of the field for his QB Start of the Week. Smith is leading the number-one ranked pass rate offense and is currently first in passing yards. He is slinging it this year, and the only thing holding him back is the touchdown rate of 2.4%, which is incredibly low. He has thrown precisely one TD in all six games so far, which could change at any time when a team is throwing as much as the Seahawks are. Now they face an Atlanta defense that gives up the highest completion rate in the NFL, and it looks like Geno could boom this week in fantasy.
RB – Antonio Gibson vs. JAX
With Rhamondre out last week, Gibson was the clear lead back for the team, seeing 17 opportunities, including four targets. He was not overly effective with the rushing opportunities, but he saw 30% of the team’s total rush attempts and targets, which is an elite usage level. What makes him a Start of the Week is that he is facing Jacksonville. Their defense is terrible at everything and cannot stop a runny nose, let alone opposing defenses. Look for Gibson to have another massive workload with Stevenson out another week, and this is a matchup where he should deliver.
WR – Jordan Addison vs. DET
Addison should be a confident play for your flex options, as this is yet another sky-high over/under, so there should be points to go around for everyone. Teams are throwing on Detroit at the second-highest rate in the NFL because you cannot run against them. Before the dud by Dallas last week, Detroit was 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs. The Lions are running man coverage 39% of the time, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. With Justin Jefferson getting plenty of focus on the other side of the field, Addison should see plenty of one-on-one opportunities, which, with Addison’s 17.3 average depth of target, could mean several big plays from him.
TE – Kyle Pitts vs. SEA
Did you know that Pitts is quietly the TE8 on the season? I sure as heck didn’t! He has not been as bad as people think, especially in the TE climate of 2024. This week he is part of a 51-point over/under with an offense passing the ball at a sky-high rate. Add in that he faces a Seattle defense that allows the seventh-most catches and third-most receiving yards and ranks 31st in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs, and you have a recipe for success from Kyle Pitts.