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Fantasy: Start, Sit, Stash, Quit - Week 7

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SSSQ is a weekly look at the under-the-radar fantasy players you should consider starting, and the potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut. For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our weekly rankings.

Start

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals

vs. Browns

Dalton put up strong fantasy stats in his last two starts against the Cowboys and Patriots, and gets a juicy matchup this week against a Browns defense that has surrendered 16 passing touchdowns this season - second-worst in the NFL.

Fearless prediction: 321 yards passing, 3 TDs

Other QBs to start

  • Kirk Cousins, Redskins
  • Marcus Mariota, Titans

Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Buccaneers

at 49ers

Doug Martin will miss this game after suffering a setback in his hamstring rehab, and Charles Sims is on IR. Rodgers will get plenty of work against a defense that's allowed a 100-yard rusher in five straight games. Week 5 may feel like an eternity ago, but don't forget what Rodgers did in a featured role before the Buccaneers' bye: 101 yards rushing with 28 more through the air.

Fearless prediction: 86 yards rushing, 36 yards receiving, TD

Other RBs to start

  • Spencer Ware, Chiefs
  • Tevin Coleman, Falcons
  • Mike Gillislee, Bills

Mike Wallace, WR, Ravens

at Jets

Steve Smith hasn't practiced this week and looks highly unlikely to suit up Sunday, which should mean Wallace will see plenty of targets sent his way. Darrelle Revis is too old and slow to match up with Wallace's top gear, so look for the Ravens wideout to score a long touchdown.

Fearless prediction: 118 yards receiving, TD

Other WRs to start

  • Michael Thomas, Saints
  • Michael Crabtree, Raiders
  • DeSean Jackson, Redskins

Hunter Henry, TE, Chargers

at Falcons

The Falcons have allowed five different tight ends to catch a touchdown this season, which bodes well for the rising star Henry. Coming off a Week 6 game in which he caught six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown against the stout Broncos defense, the rookie makes a strong starting option.

Fearless prediction: 80 yards receiving, TD

Other TEs to start

  • Cameron Brate, Buccaneers
  • Vernon Davis, Redskins

Sit

Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals

vs. Seahawks

This recommendation is about more than the Seahawks' excellent defense. Even against a middle-of-the-road defensive unit, Palmer would be a risky start considering how little he's produced this season. No one saw it coming, but the dynamic vertical passing game the Cardinals employed last season has completely disappeared.

Other QBs to sit

  • Carson Wentz, Eagles
  • Sam Bradford, Vikings

Matt Forte, RB, Jets

vs. Ravens

The Ravens boast the NFL's best run defense, and Forte has provided fantasy owners with almost no value since a three-touchdown outburst in Week 2. He looks washed up.

Other RBs to sit

  • Isaiah Crowell, Browns
  • T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars
  • Rashad Jennings, Giants

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans

at Broncos

Not many fantasy owners have the depth to leave a player like Hopkins on the bench, but it would be unwise to count on him for more than a few points this week. Already this season, the Broncos have largely erased a list of elite wideouts that includes A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Mike Evans, and T.Y. Hilton. Not one of those pass-catchers topped 8 fantasy points. Considering Brock Osweiler's ongoing struggles, it would be stunning to see Hopkins do it.

Other WRs to sit

  • Will Fuller, Texans
  • Michael Floyd, Cardinals
  • Sammie Coates, Steelers

Zach Ertz, TE, Eagles

vs. Vikings

Ertz has been largely invisible since returning from a rib injury, and is a poor bet to get things going against a Vikings defense that has yet to allow a tight end touchdown.

Other TEs to sit

  • Jesse James, Steelers
  • Gary Barnidge, Browns

Stash

Ty Montgomery, WR, Packers

Eddie Lacy has been placed on IR with an ankle injury and James Starks just had knee surgery. Kniles Davis, whom the Packers just acquired via trade, will eventually figure into the mix, but he can't do everything. Montgomery should continue to see snaps out of the backfield and could conceivably catch 6-10 passes a game, making him a must-own player in PPR leagues.

James Starks, RB, Packers

Starks is expected to miss another three weeks or so as he recovers from meniscus surgery, but he should get the chance to lead the Packers' rushing attack upon his return. If you can afford to use a roster spot on him for a few weeks, he's worth stashing now.

Knile Davis, RB, Packers

Davis was the odd man out in a crowded Chiefs backfield, and there are legitimate questions about his talent and ability to handle a full workload, but he'll get a shot at replacing Lacy while Starks recovers from surgery. Davis is worth stashing in deep leagues on the off chance he's impressive in green and gold.

Quit

Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers

Lacy will miss at least eight weeks after being placed on IR. If he returns this season - a big if - it won't be until the middle of the fantasy playoffs. Use Lacy's roster spot on a player who can help you get to the playoffs, rather than on a player you probably won't feel comfortable starting, with your season on the line, without a week to see how he looks coming off injury.

Phillip Dorsett, WR, Colts

The former first-round pick looks like a bust. Beyond T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief is the only Colts receiver worth owning. Considering how invisible Dorsett has been, Moncrief should step into a big role upon his return.

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