We’re through 7 weeks in the NFL, which means we’re officially at the halfway point of the fantasy regular season. This is the point where teams should be adapting add/drop and start/sit decisions based on your situation and your path to the fantasy playoffs.
If you’re lucky enough to be near the top of your league, grab your handcuffs, start looking at playoff schedules and build your bench accordingly. If you're in the basement in your league, you’re in win-now mode and your lineup should reflect that – take your shot with high ceiling players that can produce now. Let’s get into it.
Quarterback
START: Justin Herbert, Chargers
Herbert has been on a tear for the Chargers as of late, scoring 23 or more fantasy points in his last three games. I wouldn’t expect him to get near his 38.48 point total from last week against the Jags, which was propped up by 66 rushing yards and a TD on the ground, but he should look good again in what should be a back and forth game against Denver.
Honorable mentions: Ryan Tannehill (at Bengals), Carson Wentz (vs. Cowboys)
SIT: Matthew Stafford, Lions
Stafford has been steady but underwhelming this year, scoring between 16-18.5 fantasy points in four of his six games. I’d expect no more than 18 points for him this week against a Colts
defense that has been the #1 toughest matchup for QBs to date, allowing 11.7 points to the position. Look for him to funnel targets to Kenny Golladay to salvage his day, but don’t expect a top-12 performance.
Honorable mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (at Ravens)
Running Back
START: Boston Scott, Eagles
Start players against the Cowboys. It’s as easy as that. The Cowboys are giving up the 6th most
half PPR points to RBs on the season, and they’ve looked atrocious over the past month. They released defensive tackle Dontari Poe this week and have been in sell-mode ahead of the trade deadline, so I don't expect the ship to change course this week.
Replacing Sanders last week against the Giants, Scott totaled 12 rushes and 5 targets for 15.2 fantasy points. Look for him to top that against the Cowboys in a game where the Eagles should be moving the ball well.
Honorable mentions: Darrell Henderson (at Dolphins), Ronald Jones III (at Giants)
SIT: Devin Singletary, Bills
Singletary has been a headache for fantasy owners this year, and with fellow RB Zack Moss back in the fold, that’s likely to continue. Singletary has only topped 10 standard fantasy points twice,
12.1 points against the Rams week 3 and 13.7 points against the Raiders week 4, both games in which the Bills didn’t have Moss. Last week against the woeful Jets, Singletary only out-touched Moss by 1 carry and 1 reception, and despite that, Moss still scored 2.5 more points.
The Bills get the Patriots at home this week, in a game with cold conditions and swirling winds predicted. This game has the lowest over/under on the week at 40.5 points, and with the Patriots banged up in the passing game, expect them to run the ball and chew the clock. Stay away form Singletary if you can.
Honorable mentions: Giants RBs (vs. Buccs)
Wide Receiver
START: Travis Fulgham, Eagles
Fulgham is quickly becoming a household name in fantasy circles, totalling at least 10 targets and 73 yards in each of his last three games. He’s averaging 15.5 yards per reception and already has 3 touchdowns on the year. He gets the Cowboys this week in a smash game. He’s a high upside WR2 this week.
Honorable mentions: Brandon Aiyuk (at Seahawks), Tee Higgins (vs. Titans)
SIT: Darius Slayton, Giants
In Sterling Shepard’s first game back last week, Shepard led the receiving corps with 8 targets
(to Slayton’s 4), resulting in 6 catches, 59 yards and a TD (to Slayton’s 2 catches for 23 yards). While Slayton won’t completely fade into irrelevance, this likely isn’t his week against a Buccs defense only allowing 20.2 fantasy points to WRs according to FantasyPros. Proceed with caution.
Honorable mentions: Amari Cooper (at Eagles), JuJu Smith-Schuster (at Ravens)
Tight End
START: Jared Cook, Saints
It’s pretty fitting that on Halloween week, the Saints receiving corps is a complete nightmare. Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are out again, along with Marquez Callaway who was the hero for them last week. That leaves Tre’Quan Smith and Deonte Harris as starting WRs against the Bears, so there is plenty of room for Cook to eat up targets in the middle of the field.
The Bears are middle of the pack against TEs, allowing 8.6 half-PPR points to TEs. In a sketchy looking TE-landscape, and with weather playing a factor in this game as well, look at Cook as a low end TE1 this week.
Honorable mentions: Harrison Bryant (vs. Raiders), Dallas Goedert (vs. Cowboys)
SIT: Robert Tonyan, Packers
Tonyan has been pretty pedestrian since the Packers week 5 bye, with a total of 6 targets, 5
receptions and 57 yards in his last two games. Last week against the Texans and their 11th worst defense against TEs, Tonyan was an afterthought despite having Davante Adams drawing double teams and the Packers rolling to 35 points.
I’m worried about Tonyan going forward, and even though he’s got a matchup against the porous Vikings, they're middle of the pack against TEs (17th worst, allowing 8.1 half-PPR points to TEs) and he’s not seeing enough targets to make him a worthy start. He’s a TE2 this week and going forward for me.
Honorable mentions: Robert Tonyan (vs. Vikings), Mike Gesicki (vs. Rams)
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