Welcome to week seven of the NFL season. Four teams now have byes so it will start to get a little harder to manage rosters. New waiver wires have emerged, and there are lots of start ‘em and sit ‘ems for this week. Point totals are done in the normal ESPN PPR point format.

Must Start

Baker Mayfield- Quarterback- Cleveland Browns- Mayfield has started to show real sparks of being a solid NFL QB, and against a Buccaneer passing defense he should thrive. If you have any members of a passing offense against the Buccaneers they should be in your lineup. The Buccaneers are allowing the most yards per attempt in the NFL with 9.3 and are tied for most passing TDs allowed this season with 16. They have also allowed the second most passing yards this season in total. The Bucs are involved in a ton of shootouts so Mayfield should have a very high number of passing attempts as well. You shouldn’t be worried about Mayfield throwing interceptions either, because the Bucs have one interception all year so far. Mayfield is an elite play this week along with Landry and Njoku.

David Johnson- Running Back- Arizona Cardinals- Incase you were worried about David Johnsons lack of big games this year, don’t be. He plays a Broncos team who have now allowed two straight 200 yard rushers. They have allowed the most yards per attempt (5.6) in the league and the most total yards this season. Johnson hasn’t really thrived this year (especially in non-ppr), but he could explode this week.

Sterling Shepard- Wide Receiver- New York Giants- Obviously Eli Manning has been under some pressure recently for no longer being a good QB, but Shepard should thrive this week. Obviously Odell Beckham is a top play against a Falcon pass defense, but that’s too obvious. Shepard should thrive as a big playmaker who gets solid volume. The Falcons have allowed the third most passing yards this season along 16 passing TDs allowed (tied for most in the league). Shepard could easily get a TD with a high number of receptions as OBJ will be the focus of the Falcon’s defensive game plan.

Do not start

Alex Collins- Running Back- Baltimore Ravens- Collins may have had two TDs last week, but ignoring that he has not done anything all season. He has only gone over 60 rushing yards once this season, and is getting next to no receptions. Without TDs Collins is a meer low end flex play. TDs for Collins are rare as well as he is only averaging 0.6 TDs per game. The Saints have allowed only a remarkable 3.1 yards per carry. Their pass defense is also so bad that teams focus their offensive game plan to target their pass defense. RBs struggle to get a large number of carries against the Saints, so Collin’s low amount of yards should just get lower.

Sony Michel- Running Back- New England Patriots- The Chicago Bears are the only team in the NFL who are yet to allow a rushing TD, and have allowed the second lowest amount of rushing yards all season. Michel has put together a few successful games as the Patriots new feature back, and Michel will be a very productive player for the most part this season. I just do not think he will be able to thrive in a tough matchup against a stout Bear rush defense.

Will Fuller V- Wide Receiver- Houston Texans- He just has not been productive at all since Keke Coutee burst onto the scene three weeks ago. Not only that, the Texans have to against the Jaguar pass defense this week. That combination just does not look too good for Fuller. The Jaguars have allowed the fewest number of pass TDs all season with five, and have allowed the second best yards per attempt with 6.4. Trust me when I say Fuller is sit this week and for weeks to come until he comes back as WR2 for this offense.

Waiver wire Pickups

O.J. Howard- Tight End- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- He was dropped in a large number of leagues following his injury earlier this season. Howard is a top 12 WR in point total in the weeks he has played so far, and has been extremely productive. It’s super rare to find a top tier TE on the waiver wire at this stage of the game, so jump on Howard if you need one desperately. He is only owned in 50% of ESPN leagues as well.

Chester Rogers- Wide Receiver- Indianapolis Colts- Rogers has now recorded 3 straight games with double digit points and has racked up 32 targets in the last 3 games as well. Rogers is quickly emerging as a solid WR especially since the Colts are throwing the ball a ton this season (Andrew Luck is averaging 54.7 attempts per game). Rogers is only owned in only 14% of ESPN fantasy leagues, and is great flex play for now or possible WR2.

Ito Smith- Running Back- Atlanta Falcons- Smith is a great pickup with Devonta Freeman out for most of, if not the entire season. Smith split carries with Tevin Coleman, and has been productive with Freeman out. He has three TDs in his last three games along with a career high with 11 carries last week. That number could keep increasing as the Falcons realize the talent this guy has too. He is only owned in 32% of leagues, and is a new key piece in a solid Falcon offense.