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Each week, the Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet will combine analysis, data and game predictions with a confidence scale to help owners get a definitive answer on who to start in their leagues.
Say, what do all those snazzy numbers mean? That’s our confidence scale. It slides from 10.0 for a legendary start to 5.0 for an average rating to a 1.0 for a pathetic rating.
Is the confidence scale based on a specific scoring system? It is based on standard leagues but is (mostly) applicable to PPR leagues. You should probably consult our PPR-specific rankings for more detail.
Who is listed below? Everyone that matters, but anyone already starting in 90 percent or more of CBSSports.com leagues is considered an obvious must-start. We’re not going to waste your time trying to convince you to start Rob Gronkowski.
What if someone isn’t listed below? If someone’s missing, it’s not an accident. Anyone missing is a definitive must sit, if not a must-cut player. Or they’re on bye.
What’s the best way to find a specific player on this page? Use your personal search function — CTRL-F on PCs and Command-F on MACs. If neither of those are options, or if you’re on a mobile device, you can search by game. Games are listed by starting times.
What if I am still unsure who to start or sit after reading this? Ask me! Shoot me a note on Twitter (@daverichard) (I’ll keep an eye out for the #CBSFCS hashtag). You can always consult our rankings, too.
*Drops to one knee*, *checks wristwatch*, *puts hands on either side of mouth*, it’s clobberin’ time!!
Seahawks at 49ers, Thu., 8:25 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson (5.4): Wilson has thrown exactly one touchdown in each of his last five against the Niners, and he has one passing touchdown in five of six games this season. But this is a pass defense that has allowed two-plus passing scores to four of their last five opponents, so there’s some hope for Wilson to come up with a decent game. He’s on the low-end No. 1 quarterback fence.
Colin Kaepernick (3.8): Gotta give credit where it’s due — Kap has two touchdowns and no interceptions in each of his last two games. The last time he did it in three straight? That would be never. Furthermore, his track record against the Seahawks is ugly — three passing touchdowns in six career meetings. Hard to feel good about him.
Running backs
Marshawn Lynch (9.1): Start him — he’s had 100 yards and/or a touchdown in eight straight against the 49ers. I’d expect the score, not quite the yardage.
Carlos Hyde (5.4): There’s a pretty clear track record of how the Seahawks run defense struggles without Bobby Wagner in the middle (such was the case last week against Carolina). But Wagner’s expected to play on the short week, leaving the struggling Hyde in no better than very low-end No. 2 running back territory.
Wide receivers
Doug Baldwin (3.1) & Jermaine Kearse (2.6): Only look their way if you’re desperate for help. Receivers have scored seven times in the Niners’ last five games including two last week at home versus Baltimore. The last time either of these guys delivered 10 Fantasy points against the Niners was in the 2013 playoffs. Baldwin has the slightly better track record.
Anquan Boldin (3.5) & Torrey Smith (3.4): Only one receiver to play the Seahawks this year has achieved 10-plus Fantasy points (Randall Cobb had 11 in Week 2), surprising considering their record. Boldin’s banged up and Smith should be contained.
Tight ends
Jimmy Graham (7.8): Fantasy owners should be confident in Graham fresh off of a 12-target, eight-catch, 140-yard game. The Niners have allowed a touchdown to a tight end in two of their last three.
Defense/Special teams
Seahawks (8.6): 49ers point totals in their last eight games against the Hawks: 7, 3, 17, 19, 3, 13, 13, 19. You know what to do.
49ers (3.7): Three of the last four DSTs to play the Seahawks have posted eight or fewer Fantasy points. That’s the maximum amount of points the Niners have scored in their last five overall.
Bills vs. Jaguars in London, Sun., 9:30 a.m. ET
Quarterbacks
EJ Manuel (3.2): He’ll see a Jaguars defense that has held two of the last three quarterbacks they’ve faced to under 17 Fantasy points. For a passer with a lot of inconsistencies and a depleted receiving corps, that’s not such good news.
Blake Bortles (7.3): Bortles should do all right against the Bills, who have allowed multiple passing touchdowns in all but one game this year. Opposing passers have at least 19 Fantasy points in those five games with at least 21 in four. If his line protects him well enough he’ll have a big day.
Running backs
LeSean McCoy (8.6): McCoy was stunning last week, decimating the Bengals for 94 total yards and a score. Considering the carnage the Jaguars have allowed and the lack of receivers on Buffalo it’s not hard to envision an even bigger day for Shady.
T.J. Yeldon (5.35): After a couple of days of practice, signs point to Yeldon playing against the Bills. The Bengals’ running backs scored on the Bills last week, proving that Buffalo’s run defense is far from stout. Defensive tackle Kyle Williams also won’t play. There’s mild potential for a good game from Yeldon, but not a great one.
Wide receivers
Robert Woods (4.1): With Sammy Watkins and Percy Harvin out, the door is open for Woods to get more targets than normal. Then again, DeAndre Hopkins was the only No. 1 receiver to score on the Jaguars this season, and Woods is the de facto top threat.
Allen Robinson (7.0): Pretty much every top outside receiver to line up against the Bills has been held to eight or fewer Fantasy points, a list that includes T.Y. Hilton, Odell Beckham and most recently A.J. Green. It’s not because of one specific cornerback, just how the Bills scheme up. Robinson will have to win one-on-one battles against good cornerbacks to deliver a good game.
Allen Hurns (6.7): It’s been slot receivers (Julian Edelman) or upstart/No. 2 outside wideouts (Donte Moncrief, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Marvin Jones) who have gotten the best of the Bills secondary. In the case of Jones last week it took some incredible plays to make his stat line happen. There’s reason to be a little nervous about using Hurns but his potential keeps him firmly in the No. 2 receiver conversation.
Bryan Walters (3.55): Walters lost some luster after T.J. Yeldon practiced this week. With a semblance of a run game, Walters figures to not see as much playing time.
Tight ends
Charles Clay (6.8): Bank on Clay getting a lot of targets given the state of the Bills receiving corps. The Jaguars stats against tight ends look dangerous at first, but they’ve only taken on two tight ends who were targeted at least seven times. Both of them popped off for 10 or more Fantasy points. Clay should come close.
Julius Thomas (7.4): After Tyler Eifert put some film out there on how to scoot past the Bills defense for a score, look for the Jaguars to involve Thomas even more. Thirteen targets last week says a lot about how they want to use him. Trade for him now if you can.
Defense/Special teams
Bills (6.7): Defenses against the Jags have scored in each of their last two games and have totaled four interceptions and nine sacks in that span. The defenses in question? Tampa Bay and Houston! The Bills DST is a must.
Jaguars (4.3): It’s an intriguing matchup since the Bills are without deep speed receivers. Then again, will it matter? The Jags have one interception on the season, have allowed well over 300 yards in each of their last five games and yielded at least 20 points in all but one game on the season.
Vikings at Lions, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Teddy Bridgewater (6.0): Bridgewater found two touchdowns against the Lions back in Week 2, but one came on the ground. That’s pretty rare for him. What helps him this week is a matchup against a Lions defense that’s allowed at least 20 Fantasy points to five of six quarterbacks they’ve faced, including Teddy in Week 2. He’s in the bye-week quarterback conversation, especially since his receiving corps has gotten a boost from rookie Stefon Diggs.
Matthew Stafford (7.4): The only quarterback to exceed 20 Fantasy points against Minnesota this season? That would be Stafford, who came alive last week when his run game hit rock bottom. Expect Stafford to have at least some good results while chucking it around again this week.
Running backs
Adrian Peterson (9.3): Obvious must-start.
Theo Riddick (5.5): Riddick out-snapped Abdullah and made a bigger impact on three catches than he did on seven carries. Since the Lions will likely throw a lot, it makes sense for Riddick to be the preferred Fantasy back. Expect in the neighborhood of 65 yards.
Ameer Abdullah (3.6): Another fumble last week cost Abdullah some playing time, and it’s pretty clear he’ll split all duties with Riddick moving forward. The Vikings run defense has become one of the tougher units in the NFL. It doesn’t help that Joique Bell is expected back in some capacity.
Wide receivers
Stefon Diggs (6.2): This will be the third straight favorable matchup for Diggs to try and exploit. He turned 19 targets in his last two games into 13 catches and 216 yards. He runs very slick routes and can make plays downfield. The Lions are in the bottom 10 of Fantasy points allowed to receivers and have given up the second-most pass plays of 20-plus yards.
Mike Wallace (5.8): It’s a red flag that Wallace caught just two of nine targets last week. He’s looking more and more like a touchdown-dependent receiver. That could end up being a good thing as the Lions have allowed five scores to receivers over their last four matchups. Wallace is a sleeper.
Calvin Johnson (9.1): Obvious must-start.
Golden Tate (5.6): Tate has had a ridiculous 27 targets over his last two games. He has just 14 catches for an even less appealing 114 yards with a touchdown last week. He’s best used as a flex in PPR formats and a bye-week replacement in other leagues.
Lance Moore (3.3): Moore’s been sneaky good the past couple of weeks, emerging as the Lions’ third receiver with their tight end corps depleted. But with Ebron expected back, Moore’s workload could lighten quite a bit. The only way he’s worth a look in deeper leagues is if Ebron remains sidelined.
Tight ends
Kyle Rudolph (5.8): He had his best game on the year — 30 yards and a touchdown — against the Lions in Week 2. The matchup is cool but there’s very little upside with Rudolph, making him strictly a bye-week candidate.
Eric Ebron (6.4): Ebron’s coming back just in time to take on a Vikings defense he hit up for 43 yards and a touchdown back in Week 2. Minnesota’s defense against tight ends isn’t bad but because the Lions have some many other weapons in the passing game, there should be some opportunities for Ebron to cash in on mismatches. He’s worth using as a low-end starter.
Defense/Special Teams
Vikings (5.3): We’re all celebrating the Lions’ Week 6 resurgence but here’s some water on the blanket: Mike Zimmer typically does a nice job against Detroit and has the benefit of already playing against it once. The DST is a legit bye-week option.
Lions (2.3): Detroit has allowed 76 points in its last two games and gave the Vikings 26 points back in Week 2. Don’t trust them.
Jets at Patriots, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Ryan Fitzpatrick (6.4): Quarterbacks have landed at least 19 Fantasy points in four of five games against the Pats pass defense. Fitzpatrick has hovered around that number pretty much all season long. His history against the Pats includes many 300-yard and multi-touchdown games but also plenty of interceptions (17 in seven meetings!). With the chance to pass a lot, consider him an above-average bye-week option.
Tom Brady (8.6): Obvious must-start, though not the top quarterback this week.
Running backs
Chris Ivory (7.8): Ivory tends to deliver strong numbers when he has at least 20 carries, and that’s been the case in two of his last three against the Patriots. He’s playing great and New England’s run defense allows 4.6 yards per carry to rushers. Will the Jets stick with him for over 20 carries? Only one running back has had more than 15 carries against New England this year (DeAngelo Williams in Week 1).
Dion Lewis (7.1) & LeGarrette Blount (5.1): This is a rough matchup for the Pats run game — the Jets are giving up 3.0 yards per carry and 5.8 yards per catch to running backs. Provided he’s healthy, Lewis should figure into the Pats game plan more so than Blount, who has 15 yards on 10 carries in three games against the Jets in his career.
Wide receivers
Brandon Marshall (8.9): Marshall stunk against the Patriots last year while with Chicago (10 targets, three catches for 35 yards and no score). Thank you, Darrelle Revis (they’re teammates now). It’s reasonable to expect the Patriots to tilt their secondary toward him just as they did with Allen Robinson. This all doesn’t mean a bad game for Marshall, by the way. He’s scored in every game — he’s not worth sitting at all.
Eric Decker (7.9): If the Jets end up passing a bunch then Decker should have a monster game. Forget about last year when he was the Jets’ top receiver against a secondary led by Darrelle Revis — he’ll crush those numbers this week.
Julian Edelman (8.7): Obvious must-start. The hunch is that he won’t see any of Revis.
Danny Amendola (4.05): Last week was real nice but there’s a pretty good chance he’ll see a lot of the Jets’ outside corners and have a hard time making a ton of plays.
Tight ends
Rob Gronkowski (8.7): Obvious must-start. Even if Revis was in his face you’d still start him.
Defense/Special teams
Jets (5.9): Call me crazy but I think the Jets give the Pats a real fight. They’re tops in the league in points allowed (15.0) and yards allowed (269.2). This is the first time the Patriots will take on a Todd Bowles-coached defense in four years, and it’s loaded. Trust them.
Patriots (4.9): Fitzpatrick has 17 interceptions in seven career games against the Patriots. Figure that trend continues and keeps the Pats defense relevant in Fantasy.
Falcons at Titans, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Matt Ryan (7.9):The track record of quarterbacks against the Titans is good enough to roll with Ryan this week. But let’s not forget that Ryan has been okay, not great, this year. He’s been above 20 Fantasy points twice and above 25 Fantasy points once. If the expectation this week is around 21 or 22 Fantasy points, he should get there. It helps that Perrish Cox won’t play for Tennessee.
Zach Mettenberger (4.5): Three of the last four quarterbacks to play the Falcons have posted 18 or fewer Fantasy points, including Drew Brees last week. Mettenberger could wind up getting close to that mark — he’s a sneaky bye-week and a daily league tournament sleeper.
Running backs
Devonta Freeman (9.7): Obvious must-start.
Antonio Andrews (5.2): For Andrews it’s all about scoring. Can he do it? Well, all but one team to play the Falcons this year has landed at least one rushing touchdown. Furthermore, eight of the nine rushing touchdowns allowed by the Falcons have come from 2 yards or closer. Feel good about starting him as a No. 3 rusher.
Dexter McCluster (2.5): Before you go nuts over how bad the Falcons are against running backs catching passes, note that in the last two weeks they held Chris Thompson and C.J. Spiller to 50 yards on 10 catches. Only in Week 2 against Cleveland did McCluster top the 10-point mark in standard leagues and 15-point mark in PPR, and he did it running the ball! He’s a risk.
Wide receivers
Julio Jones (9.2): Obvious must-start.
Leonard Hankerson (4.3): No one’s excited to start Hankerson after he caught five passes for 50 yards over his last two games. Pretty much a touchdown-dependent Fantasy point producer, the Titans have allowed one touchdown to a receiver over their last two games. His best bet is to steal a red-zone score away from Julio or Devonta.
Kendall Wright (4.8): It’s just not happening for Wright, whose sagging stats are in line with Mariota’s. The Falcons have given up just two touchdowns and three 100-yard games to receivers this season.
Dorial Green-Beckham (3.95): Something to keep an eye on: DGB had more targets than any Titans receiver last week despite playing the fourth-most snaps among his teammates. He could be worth stashing now for use in Weeks 8 and 9 (at Houston, at New Orleans).
Tight ends
Delanie Walker (7.0): Atlanta has allowed a touchdown to a tight end in four of its last five games. Walker is coming off of a 10-target, eight-catch game and should be a lock for a lot of numbers.
Defense/Special teams
Falcons (6.9):The only DST to struggle with the Titans is the Bucs back in Week 1. The Falcons are a great DST not just for this week but for their next two games too. It’s a plus that they’re more or less at full strength.
Titans (2.1): With seven or fewer Fantasy points in three of their last four games, no one’s jazzed to trust the Titans defense and special teams. Especially against the Falcons.
Texans at Dolphins, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Brian Hoyer (5.9): It’s no laughing matter — Hoyer has at least 21 Fantasy points in each of his last three games, completing 67 percent of his passes at an 8.6 yard per attempt clip with multiple touchdowns in each (thank you, DeAndre Hopkins). The catch is that he’s done this against some pretty soft defenses with minimal pass rushes; the Dolphins are tougher. There’s legitimacy to Hoyer as a good bye-week replacement option.
Ryan Tannehill (7.0): He’s had one great game this season and it came in one of his easiest matchups. Week 7 brings another as the Texans have struggled against most quarterbacks on the season. Don’t expect a monster week but he should get right around 20 Fantasy points.
Running backs
Arian Foster (9.4): Obvious must-start.
Lamar Miller (7.9): Last week vindicated Miller as a capable workhorse running back, marking the eighth time in 12 career games with 15-plus carries that Miller delivered at least nine Fantasy points. Houston has allowed at least one score to a running back in three of its last four games and should be ripe for another to Miller.
Wide receivers
DeAndre Hopkins (9.5): Obvious must-start.
Nate Washington (4.45): The Dolphins secondary is missing a starter, pushing Jamar Taylor into a starting role. Don’t think for a second that Hoyer won’t test Taylor with a decent dose of Washington this week. He’s a very good desperation plug-and-play receiver off the waiver wire. Washington has at least eight targets in each of three starts this season.
Rishard Matthews (6.5): Matthews might be third on the team in targets but leads the Fins’ skill-position players in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and Fantasy points. The guy has six catches for at least 85 yards in three of his last four games and picks up a clutch matchup against a Texans pass defense that has allowed five touchdowns to receivers over its last three games.
Jarvis Landry (5.5): A rushing touchdown saved Landry’s numbers last week, but there were troubling signs. The biggest was a huge drop in targets and catches, creating season-lows. Was this because the run game got going? Was it because the Dolphins built a lead and didn’t have to throw? Either way, there’s some trepidation about using Landry this week, especially since it’s been outside receivers who have done the most damage against the Texans.
Tight ends
Jordan Cameron (6.2): Cameron’s role hasn’t changed at all since the Dolphins coaching change. It makes one wonder if he’ll ever not get targets against any opponent. The Texans have struggled against all pass catchers, so there’s reason to buy into Cameron getting opportunities this week.
Defense/Special teams
Texans (5.1): Maybe they get to Ryan Tannehill a few times, and maybe they’ll pick off Tannehill a couple of times (they did pick off Blake Bortles three times last week). Then again, their secondary is a mess and their pass rush is nothing close to what was expected (nine sacks on the season). They’re a borderline starting option this week.
Dolphins (5.5): Last week was outstanding as the Dolphins defense scored, had six sacks, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. But the Texans have been putting up points, averaging 21.3 points and nearly 300 yards per game. Additionally, Miami’s secondary will be without cornerback Brice McCain, forcing Jamar Taylor and rookie Bobby McCain into prominent roles as well as Brent Grimes into full-time coverage of DeAndre Hopkins. That could get ugly — roll with the Dolphins as a low-end starting option.
Steelers at Chiefs, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Landry Jones (4.9): Jones’ accuracy on passes beyond 10 yards is questionable and his general lack of experience could be a real problem. If Jones ends up having a good game, it’s because his receivers made big plays for him, just as they did last week against the Cardinals.
Alex Smith (4.0): In the last five weeks Smith has averaged 14.8 Fantasy points per game. In the last four weeks opposing quarterbacks have averaged 14.3 Fantasy points per game against the Steelers.
Running backs
Le’Veon Bell (9.2): Obvious must-start.
Charcandrick West (3.0) & Knile Davis (2.9): Not only did both of these guys fall flat last week but they’ll take on a Steelers run defense allowing 3.5 yards per carry and 0.0 touchdowns to running backs per game.
Wide receivers
Martavis Bryant (7.8): Bryant’s explosiveness and versatility were on display last week when he leaped high for an 8-yard touchdown and weaved his way on a short crossing pattern for an 88-yard touchdown. There isn’t a Chiefs defensive back who can match up with him. If you don’t own Bryant, trade for him now before he really takes off.
Antonio Brown (7.1): No one in the league has allowed more Fantasy points to receivers than the Chiefs. The move to Jones at quarterback should be considered a slight positive — Brown had five targets from Jones in under a half of football and eventually got some decent passes from him including a deep ball. Brown is worth using in a very favorable matchup.
Jeremy Maclin (6.3): Provided he passes concussion protocol, Maclin should get showered with targets from Smith and fall into stats. Three different Cardinals receivers had at least nine Fantasy points against the Steelers last week and eight have had at least that many on the season.
Tight ends
Heath Miller (4.8): The Steelers would be wise to lean on Miller as a nice short-area target for Jones, but the Chiefs have done a good job taking tight ends away from their opponents.
Travis Kelce (7.6): Defense against tight ends has been the only area the Steelers have struggled this season, so it makes sense to believe Kelce will be involved in the Kansas City offense.
Defense/Special teams
Steelers (7.2): DSTs against the Chiefs have had at least nine Fantasy points over each of the last five weeks. That’s the floor for the Steelers DST, which has landed at least 11 Fantasy points in each of its last five games.
Chiefs (3.5): Think Jones under center for the Steelers will make a huge difference? Well, in the last three weeks the Ravens, Chargers and Cardinals DSTs have totaled 20 Fantasy points against the Steelers. Think again.
Saints at Colts, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Drew Brees (8.7): In their last five games the Colts have allowed 298 yards or more four times, multiple passing touchdowns four times and at least 19 Fantasy points every time. The door’s wide open for Brees to have a great game.
Andrew Luck (9.0): Luck played great against the Patriots and lands a much easier matchup at home this week. Five of six passers to play the Saints have posted at least 20 Fantasy points (two have hit in the 30s).
Running backs
Mark Ingram (8.1): Obvious must-start.
Frank Gore (8.0): Gore has had 15-plus touches for five straight weeks and takes on a Saints defense that’s been shredded by the run lately.
Wide receivers
Willie Snead (6.1): Snead’s route-running skills give him an edge in the matchup so long as he isn’t shadowed by Vontae Davis (and why would he be?). I’d expect his targets to perk up quite a bit after getting just five last week.
Brandin Cooks (6.0): Take away his garbage time stats at Philadelphia and he’s been a full-blown bust this year. Against most anyone else Cooks should be left alone but the Colts pass defense is so dang bad that he could end up scoring, just as receivers have in every game against Indy. He’s best used as a third receiver.
T.Y. Hilton (8.8): Finally, Hilton has a matchup where his deep speed should help him put up a big stat line. New Orleans has allowed a score to a receiver in all but one game this year (at Carolina the exception) and they’ve given up a ton of deep pass plays.
Donte Moncrief (6.6): Here’s a fun fact: Moncrief has scored in every game Andrew Luck has played in, delivering at least nine Fantasy points in each. There’s no reason to shy away from him now.
Tight ends
Benjamin Watson (5.0): Watson’s recent involvement in the Saints offense works two ways — we notice because he’s been awesome in each of his last two games, but the Colts have to have taken notice as well. The good news? Injuries among Indy’s safeties could make them susceptible to another nice game from Watson, who is a nice big short-area target for the suddenly ball-control favored Saints.
Coby Fleener (5.6) & Dwayne Allen (3.6): All of the touchdowns to tight ends the Saints have allowed have been in the red zone but none in short range (11-plus yards out). Maybe that favors Fleener a bit, though no one should feel particularly confident in either player.
Defense/Special teams
Saints (2.9): Andrew Luck’s healthy and the Saints DST only had a great game in Week 6 because of a special-teams touchdown. Pass.
Colts (3.1): The only times this season the Colts DST has brought back 10 or more Fantasy points have been when they figured in a touchdown. That’s tough to bank on, even against a Saints offense that has been known to turn the ball over.
Browns at Rams, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Josh McCown (5.7): No quarterback has exceeded 18 Fantasy points against the Rams this season, a list that includes Russell Wilson, Carson Palmer and Aaron Rodgers (those guys did get to 17, 18 and 18 points, respectively). McCown isn’t a big risk as a bye-week quarterback given his four-game streak of multi-touchdown games and the receiving corps he has playing on a fast track at St. Louis. No Chris Long rushing him makes the matchups a smidge easier.
Nick Foles (5.8): The matchup says Foles should be fine as the Browns pass defense is nowhere near as good as Peyton Manning made them look last week. Before last week every quarterback to play the Browns had multiple touchdowns. The only worry is that Gurley runs away with the game plan and leaves Foles with weak numbers.
Running backs
Duke Johnson (3.5): He seems good to go after getting nicked up last week. Fantasy owners in PPR leagues will lose confidence in him if he doesn’t reel in the six-plus catches he had in Weeks 3 through 5. The Rams are allowing 9.1 yards per catch to running backs this season.
Isaiah Crowell (3.1): The Rams run defense has come around over its past three games, holding running backs to 3.7 yards per carry with one touchdown in that span. Crowell’s moderately fluky receiving skills have propped up his Fantasy production in two of his last three games. It’s tough to count on him, especially if Robert Turbin continues to cut into his workload.
Todd Gurley (9.6): If Gurley can total over 150 yards in tough road matchups at Arizona and at Green Bay, just imagine what he’s capable of doing against this poor Browns run defense. Also, Tre Mason isn’t expected to play, giving Gurley more of the rushing workload.
Wide receivers
Travis Benjamin (6.8): Benjamin has accumulated at least 10 targets in four straight, at least six catches in three straight and at least eight Fantasy points in all but one game this season. He should fly on the Rams fast track with the Browns expected to play from behind.
Tavon Austin (5.3): Three reasons for liking Austin: he’s playing at home on the fast turf and the Browns pass defense is not great and also not healthy (no Tashaun Gipson or Joe Haden). He’s expected to play after missing practice earlier this week.
Kenny Britt (4.4) & Brian Quick (2.4): There’s big risk in using either receiver in Fantasy but the matchup is right as big receivers have done well against the Browns. It would have been more appealing if Austin had been ruled out.
Tight ends
Gary Barnidge (7.2): The dream season continues on for Barnidge, who should land a decent matchup considering the loss of Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree. Barnidge has a four-game touchdown streak and has at least nine targets in three of his last four games.
Defense/Special teams
Browns (4.1): They can’t be trusted even though four of the last five DSTs to play the Rams have gathered at least 11 Fantasy points. They’re a desperation bye-week replacement.
Rams (6.1): The Rams DST has posted double-digit Fantasy points in every game except at Washington in Week 2 (we don’t get that one either). They have four interceptions and 11 sacks in their last three games but losing Chris Long to an injury could bring those numbers down a tad. They’re good enough to start regardless.
Buccaneers at Redskins, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston (4.6): Three of the last four quarterbacks to play the Redskins have done really well, including Ryan Fitzpatrick. That’s great, but Winston hasn’t done well often enough his rookie season to warrant using as a bye-week replacement.
Kirk Cousins (4.2): Cousins has one game with over 20 Fantasy points this season — everything else has been 16 points or fewer. Good matchup or not, he shouldn’t be trusted.
Running backs
Doug Martin (7.4): Martin has run really well in his last two games and the Washington run defense has begun unraveling over its last four, allowing three rushing scores and 4.4 yards per carry. Martin should remain in lineups but is a sell-high candidate.
Charles Sims (3.2): It’s been because of his pass-catching prowess but Sims has gone for at least 11 Fantasy points in each of his last three games. The Skins haven’t allowed a receiving touchdown to a running back on the year but they have allowed nearly eight yards per catch. Sims is okay if you’re in a pinch this week but has built-in value in PPR leagues.
Matt Jones (6.5): With Chris Thompson out, offensive coordinator Sean McVay tipped his hand and said the team feels “very good about [Jones] as a third-down option.” Bank on Jones working third downs, the hurry-up offense and the goal line. That’s great as the Bucs have given up a touchdown to a back in five of six games.
Alfred Morris (5.9): Morris’ Fantasy value could end up being solid as he’ll split reps, perhaps to the point where he’ll work most running downs. Against the Bucs, that could be a very good thing. Only factor is that Jones has dominated goal-line carries lately for the Redskins. Pencil Morris in for 80 rush yards at the very least.
Wide receivers
Mike Evans (7.2): Here’s hoping Evans comes out of the bye week well-rested and ready to play well. Before the bye he caught just 13 of 33 targets for 174 yards and zero touchdowns. The matchup against a battered Redskins secondary is perfect as they’ve given up 18.5 yards per catch to receivers and big outside types like Evans have done really well. DeAngelo Hall and Chris Culliver won’t play for Washington.
Vincent Jackson (6.9): Jackson should find the matchup to his liking, and he’s been the one scoring touchdowns among the Bucs receivers. The Redskins have allowed at least one touchdown to a big wideout in five of six games.
Pierre Garcon (6.4): Garcon got real lucky to score on Darrelle Revis last week, but it wasn’t enough to get him even 10 Fantasy points. This week he takes on a Bucs secondary that has been awful all season. Tampa Bay has yielded nine touchdowns and three 100-yard games to receivers in its five games. They’ll get cornerback Johnthan Banks back, but he’s not enough to keep Garcon from racking up targets.
Jamison Crowder (4.7): In his last four games Crowder has produced 10, 13, 16 and 8 Fantasy points in PPR leagues. Not too bad, especially since two of those contests came with Jordan Reed on the field. If Reed is indeed back for the Redskins in Week 7 it will definitely hurt Crowder’s target totals.
Tight ends
Jordan Reed (6.6): Surprisingly, the Buccaneers have been great against tight ends since Week 1, holding the likes of … well, Greg Olsen, a rusty Julius Thomas and not much else to limited stats. Reed was a major contributor before getting hurt and should be a factor against the Bucs.
Defense/Special teams
Buccaneers (3.3): Each of the last two DSTs to play the Redskins had multiple interceptions and held Cousins’ offense to under 21 points. Those were good defenses — the Falcons and Jets — the Bucs aren’t quite as talented but did register a touchdown and six sacks against a bad Jacksonville O-line the last time they played. Still, you’d have to be desperate to use them.
Redskins (5.7): It’s one of the most incredible DST stats this season — Washington has put up 11-plus Fantasy points in all but one of its games this year. You might as well trust the streak against a turnover-prone offense like the Bucs, especially if you need a bye-week replacement.
Raiders at Chargers, Sun., 4:05 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr (4.4): Trusting Carr is tough — his best games came against bad pass defenses and the Chargers register fairly high. The silver lining is that every passer who’s had at least 29 pass attempts against the Chargers has thrown multiple touchdowns. Carr is averaging 32.4 attempts per game and is sure to attempt way more passes than that.
Philip Rivers (8.9): An absolute must-start. The only quarterback to not get at least 21 Fantasy points against Oakland this season is Peyton Manning. Rivers has scored 24-plus Fantasy points in four of six games including each of his last three. Best part is because of his poor run game he has to throw!
Running backs
Latavius Murray (8.5): Expected to be ready to roll, Murray takes on a Chargers defense that’s given up at least 13 Fantasy points to a running back in every game this season! Murray is the logical back to hit that mark against the Bolts, who are giving up a ridiculous 5.4 yards per carry to rushers.
Danny Woodhead (6.0) & Melvin Gordon (3.9): It’s tough to expect the Chargers to keep giving Gordon the kind of work he’s been having after his fumble issues. Branden Oliver could cut into his work (or replace Gordon if he’s not healthy). The Raiders have been all right against the run but have been susceptible to the pass. Woodhead is still worth trotting out there as a low-end No. 2 running back even though his results have stunk lately.
Wide receivers
Amari Cooper (5.7): The consensus is that the Chargers will have shut-down cornerback Jason Verrett shadow Cooper, making him an unappealing target. No. 1 receivers have had seven Fantasy points or fewer in all but one game against the Chargers (A.J. Green had 10). Cooper is an easy receiver to pass on.
Michael Crabtree (3.6): Non-No. 1 receivers have done well against the Chargers, especially those lined up against Brandon Flowers. Targets have never been an issue with Crabtree, turning them into something has been.
Keenan Allen (8.3): The Raiders pass defense has allowed an opposing receiver to get 11 or more Fantasy points in three of its last four games and Allen has been one of the most prolific pass catchers year-to-date, getting at least 13 Fantasy points in four of six games.
Tight ends
Clive Walford (3.0): Keep an eye out for Walford as a potential stash candidate after coach Jack Del Rio talked him up during the bye week. San Diego’s defense against tight ends has struggled this season and veteran safety Eric Weddle won’t play.
Antonio Gates (8.3): If you noticed Gates following his injury last week, you saw a gimpy, slower-than-normal tight end. It’s no wonder he missed practice this week. If he plays, expectations should be scaled back even though the Raiders defense against tight ends is putrid. If you own Gates, add Green as soon as possible in the event Gates is inactive.
Ladarius Green (5.4): His numbers pretty much depend on the health of Gates. If Gates plays, Green shouldn’t be in lineups. If Gates is out, Green is a great start.
Defense/Special teams
Raiders (3.9): Oakland’s defense has some spunk but the Chargers offense is averaging 22.7 points per game and Rivers isn’t doling out many interceptions.
Chargers (4.5): If the Bolts defense was any good they’d be worth trying in Week 7 but they haven’t even had 10 points in a game this season.
Cowboys at Giants, Sun., 4:25 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Matt Cassel (3.6): With the bye week to polish his knowledge of the playbook, Cassel can’t possibly be any worse than Brandon Weeden. Still, he’s no Romo, and he doesn’t have Dez Bryant to throw at. The Giants’ front seven will be healthier with Robert Ayers and Devon Kennard back.
Eli Manning (7.5): Eli did the worst of any quarterback against Dallas back in Week 1 (no touchdowns). The Cowboys have allowed multiple passing touchdowns and 26-plus Fantasy points in each of their last three games to competent quarterbacks, so the door’s open for Manning to rebound.
Running backs
Christine Michael (5.3): We know the Cowboys plan on giving him more reps out of the bye week. That might mean five, it might mean fifteen. The hunch is even the Cowboys don’t know how many he will get until he’s out there. So, consider the fresh-legged Michael a total wild-card with the potential to do fairly well against a Giants run defense that has allowed a touchdown to a running back in five straight games.
Darren McFadden (3.4): Before the bye McFadden worked as the passing downs back, replacing Lance Dunbar. Though his snaps could also be limited, he’s a good fit in PPR leagues.
Joseph Randle (3.3): Randle will have some work, but it’s his lack of explosiveness that brought the Dallas run game into a three-headed mess. His ceiling might max at 50 yards, which means if he doesn’t score, he’s not going to help. Scoring has been the only way he’s helped Fantasy owners to this point.
Rashad Jennings (5.0): The touchdown-dependent Jennings still leads the Giants run game and has a good matchup against a Cowboys run defense that has allowed 4.8 yards per carry and four rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs over its last three games.
Shane Vereen (3.7): Vereen’s usage has been tough to predict but this should be one of those games. The Cowboys have been brutal against pass-catching backs, allowing 9.8 yards per grab and a receiving touchdown in their last two games to a running back. Vereen might have a shot at 60 total yards.
Wide receivers
Terrance Williams (5.2): The quarterback change should help the quality of targets Williams gets, and the guess is that the Cowboys will try to match up Williams against backup cornerback Jayron Hosley as much as possible. There’s a chance Williams has a decent game.
Cole Beasley (2.8): Expect the usual four catches for 40 yards from Beasley — there’s no reason he can deliver much more than that.
Odell Beckham (9.4): Obvious must-start.
Rueben Randle (5.1): Randle has never scored against the Cowboys and hasn’t scored in two straight. Of the three receivers to come down with a touchdown against Dallas in its last four, none have been non-No. 1 options.
Tight ends
Jason Witten (6.0): If Cassel is smart he’ll lean on Witten in a matchup that’s favorable for him. Witten had two scores against the Giants back in Week 1 and has a score in four of his last five against them and at least nine Fantasy points in five of his last six.
Larry Donnell (3.8): It’s been a guessing game with Donnell, who really only comes through for Fantasy owners when he scores. The Cowboys have allowed just one touchdown to a tight end all year and none have had more than seven Fantasy points against them.
Defense/Special teams
Cowboys (2.5): They haven’t performed well for much of the season — outside of their big game at Philadelphia, the Cowboys DST has registered no more than five Fantasy points per game. The Giants should bounce back after Monday’s bumbling.
Giants (6.3): Interceptions have been crucial for the Giants DST — when they’ve had at least one they’ve returned at minimum nine Fantasy points. They picked off Tony Romo twice and scored a touchdown in Week 1. The secondary is a mess but last time I checked Matt Cassel wasn’t a great quarterback. They’re a solid sleeper unit for Week 7.
Eagles at Panthers, Sun., 8:30 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Sam Bradford (4.8): This is a real tough spot for Bradford after playing on Monday. Carolina’s pass defense has been outstanding all season — way better than it was in 2014 when the Eagles threw for over 300 yards and two scores against them. Bradford is a risk this week.
Cam Newton (9.1): The bad: Only one quarterback has managed to exceed 20 Fantasy points against the Eagles this season and Newton had four turnovers against them in a matchup in Philly last year. The good: The Eagles are playing on the road after a Monday night game and Newton has played exceptionally well at home (at least 30 Fantasy points per game). Also, he is coming off of a monster win at the Seahawks. Additionally, the Eagles’ run defense might force Newton to throw more. And by the way, despite three interceptions at Philly in 2014 Newton added over 300 yards and two touchdowns. He should have a great game.
Running backs
DeMarco Murray (7.2): It’s a nasty matchup for Murray. The Panthers have allowed 3.8 yards per carry and 7.6 yards per catch over their last three games. Where Carolina has struggled is in the touchdown department, giving up four rushing scores and a touchdown catch to opposing running backs in its last three. Murray’s workload seems stabilized and could be a candidate to score and land around 60 yards with it.
Ryan Mathews (3.8): Mathews looks more and more like an insurance policy for Murray and not a good Fantasy option. He scored and had over 46 yards in his two best games this season. He’s tough to trust since his workload might peak at 10 touches so long as Murray is upright.
Jonathan Stewart (6.1): If the Eagles get back Mychal Kendricks then Stewart should end up struggling. He didn’t play on Monday and should at least be fresher than others on defense. Given the track record of the Eagles run defense (zero touchdowns or 100-total-yard games allowed to opposing running backs), they deserve the benefit of the doubt over Stewart, who did next to nothing until scoring twice at Seattle last week.
Wide receivers
Jordan Matthews (5.0): There isn’t really any good reason to trust Matthews. He’s gone without a touchdown or even 60 yards for four straight games despite an average of 8.5 targets per game. Furthermore, the Panthers have allowed just three touchdowns to receivers this year and one of them came against backups in garbage time.
Riley Cooper (4.0): It’s been strange but Cooper has been used as the Eagles’ top deep threat. With a knee issue plaguing him this week and Josh Norman figuring to be part of the coverage team against him, now’s not the time to give Cooper a shot as a bye-week fill-in.
Ted Ginn (4.9): I would expect the Panthers to take multiple deep shots with Ginn against the Eagles, who have allowed five pass plays of 40-plus yards on the year. Ginn has had at least nine Fantasy points in each of two home games. He’s a sleeper this week.
Devin Funchess (4.6): Maybe it was fluky, maybe it wasn’t anything, but Funchess wound up with six targets to lead all Panthers receivers last week. It could be a sign that the Panthers are trying to get him going. The upcoming schedule would be conducive to any Panthers receiver, so Funchess should be considered a stash candidate.
Tight ends
Zach Ertz (5.2): Yes, the Panthers allowed eight catches and 140 yards to Jimmy Graham last week. No, Ertz isn’t Jimmy Graham.
Greg Olsen (8.4): Philadelphia has been great covering tight ends but over the last two weeks they’ve shown little cracks (9.1 yards per grab and a touchdown). Olsen could break them open as they head to Carolina on a short week.
Defense/Special teams
Eagles (4.7): The Panthers have riddled DSTs all season long, holding opponents to 10 or fewer Fantasy points (including nine for the Seahawks in Seattle last week). It’s a big test for the Eagles DST, which has posted at least 17 Fantasy points in three of its last four.
Panthers (6.5): Questions about the Eagles pass game combined with the Panthers solid run defense (12th-best in the NFL) makes the Panthers DST a good option at home.
Ravens at Cardinals, Mon., 8:30 p.m. ET
Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco (6.5): Don’t ask how he’ll do it, but Flacco should find a way to put up some numbers against Arizona. Landry Jones scored two touchdowns against them last week, Matthew Stafford did the week before and Nick Foles did the week before that. Flacco has worked miracles without Steve Smith on the field before, he should be given credit for it and considered a good bye-week passer even with the seemingly challenging matchup.
Carson Palmer (9.4): Four of the last five quarterbacks to play the Ravens have posted at least 26 Fantasy points (three were over 30 points) — the one that wasn’t? Michael Vick making a start on a Thursday night after Big Ben’s injury. Palmer should shred the Ravens secondary.
Running backs
Justin Forsett (7.0): Forsett has come alive over the last three weeks thanks to a steady diet of touches (21.7 carries per game). That’s great, but the Cardinals have been real solid against the run, yielding 3.7 yards per carry with one touchdown on the ground. Forsett could make more of an impact catching passes as the Cards are allowing 8.1 yards per catch to running backs with a touchdown allowed. He fits in better as a No. 2 rusher.
Chris Johnson (6.2): About the only thing the Ravens run defense can do right is stop the run. It’ll take a lot of carries for Johnson puncture them for 10-plus Fantasy points — of the three rushers to hit that mark, two needed 15 carries and a third caught a touchdown to make the difference. Johnson has one game with more than 10 Fantasy points and three games with over 15 carries. He’s a little risky.
Andre Ellington (4.9): This might be a real good opportunity for Ellington to factor in as a pass-catcher and make some plays. The Ravens have struggled against running backs catching passes, giving up a touchdown through the air to Isaiah Crowell two weeks ago and allowing over 11 yards per catch to running backs in three of their last four. He’s a risky play in standard, maybe a little less so in PPR.
David Johnson (2.0): Johnson’s role changed last week when he started to mix in more than Ellington. Still the theory is he won’t help owners unless he bellies up to the goal line. It’s possible this week because of the Cards potent offense but not something to bank on.
Wide receivers
Steve Smith (5.9): Patrick Peterson is fully expected to line up from Smith, which will make things hard on him. It’s tough to sit him given how explosive he is (proof of that came last week) but the Cardinals track record against No. 1 receivers makes him risky.
Kamar Aiken (5.4):Check out how non-No. 1 receivers have done against Arizona — almost every week they’ve found opportunities to at least score if not rack up a good amount of yardage. It’s enough to make Aiken a sleeper for Week 7.
Larry Fitzgerald (8.6): Fitzgerald continues to work as the lead receiver for the Cardinals and should pad his six touchdowns on the season against a Ravens pass defense ranked 31st in Fantasy points allowed to receivers.
John Brown (8.5): One of my favorite receivers of the week as the Ravens have allowed 13 deep passes of 25-plus yards in their last five games including a long touchdown to Torrey Smith last week. Brown has been hitting his stride lately. He’s a must.
Michael Floyd (4.5): It’s delightful to see Floyd getting up to speed in the offense, landing his first score of the season last week with five catches and a season-high eight targets. The matchup is so juicy that Floyd should be considered a wild card with the potential to come down with another touchdown as he continues to take advantage of mismatches as a big red-zone target.
Tight ends
Crockett Gillmore (4.6): Love him for his size and role in the Ravens offense, hate that he hasn’t done anything for a while. The matchup’s not exactly very good either.
Defense/Special teams
Ravens (2.7): With the expectation that the Cardinals will decimate the Ravens through the air, it’s not a good idea to start this DST.
Cardinals (7.7): The Ravens offense has done well enough to keep opposing DSTs’ stats low. In fact, four of the last five DSTs to play Baltimore have posted eight or fewer Fantasy points. But the Cardinals have the potential to have a monster game and therefore belong as a quality Fantasy tight end.
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