Boom or Bench: Week 7 start/sit fantasy tips

Boom or Bench provides insight and analysis to help you handle your difficult fantasy football starting lineup decisions every week.

QB: Bears' Caleb Williams vs. Saints

Williams is rostered in 74% of leagues but being started in only 33% of them. Expect both numbers to climb after this week. The Bears have a great matchup with a New Orleans defense that's allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game this season, and Chicago is riding high following a last-second win over the Commanders.

Expect Williams to throw at least two touchdowns versus a defense that's surrendered 14 passing TDs against three interceptions. The Saints also rank in the middle of the pack in sacks and 25th in scoring defense, so the 23-year-old is set up well to continue building on Monday night's success.

Projection: 271 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 26 rushing yards, rushing TD

Other QBs primed to boom:

• Lions' Jared Goff vs. Buccaneers

• Jets' Justin Fields vs. Panthers

RB: Vikings' Jordan Mason vs. Eagles

Week 7 could be Mason's final week as the team's starter with Aaron Jones targeting a Week 8 return. Thankfully for Mason, it's a matchup with an Eagles defense that ranks eighth in fantasy points per game and total rushing yards allowed to running backs. Only four teams have given up more rushing touchdowns to the position than Philadelphia.

Mason has played 60% of the offensive snaps in all but the first game of the season, and he's recorded double-digit carries and at least 50 rushing yards in every contest except Week 2. The 26-year-old had a couple of underwhelming performances against strong defenses, but expect him to bounce back versus the Eagles.

Projection: 84 rushing yards, 18 receiving yards, 2 receptions, TD

RB: Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt at Cowboys

Croskey-Merritt has struggled to string together consecutive strong fantasy outings this season, but that could mean he's due this week following a dud against the Bears. The 24-year-old will benefit from facing a Cowboys defense that gives up the fourth-most fantasy points to tailbacks.

There were also some things to feel good about in Croskey-Merritt's latest showing despite the underwhelming fantasy point total. The rookie played his highest snap percentage of the year (66%) and had a season-high 17 carries. He could have one of the best running back performances of the week if he maintains that volume against Dallas without losing the ball.

Projection: 81 rushing yards, 11 receiving yards, 1 reception, 2 TDs

Other RBs primed to boom:

• Browns' Quinshon Judkins vs. Dolphins

• Saints' Alvin Kamara at Bears

WR: Broncos' Courtland Sutton vs. Giants

No team has allowed more receiving yards to wideouts than the Giants, and they've surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to the position as well. That bodes well for Sutton, who's gone over 80 yards in three of his last four games. The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder has also caught a touchdown in three of six contests this year.

Sutton's biggest hurdle to a strong fantasy outing could be the Broncos getting a big lead early in the game, but the Giants have rallied around Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo in recent weeks. In fact, New York has only scored nine fewer points than Denver this season.

Projection: 94 receiving yards, 6 receptions, TD

WR: Chiefs' Xavier Worthy vs. Raiders

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs love playing the Raiders, which should mean good things for Worthy. Mahomes has averaged 295.8 passing yards per game with 33 touchdown passes against five interceptions in 14 career meetings with Las Vegas.

Worthy found the end zone despite getting limited opportunities against the Lions on Sunday Night Football, and I expect him to score again versus Las Vegas. He saw eight and nine targets in his first two games back from injury, respectively, and should continue to have plenty of chances this week. The Texas product has averaged 11 yards per touch this season and could improve that mark Sunday.

Projection: 88 receiving yards, 5 receptions, TD

Other WRs primed to boom:

• Commanders' Deebo Samuel at Cowboys

• Patriots' Stefon Diggs at Titans

TE: Browns' Harold Fannin Jr. vs. Dolphins

Only the Panthers and Cardinals have given up more receiving yards to tight ends than the Dolphins. Miami has also surrendered three touchdowns to the position, tied for seventh most in the NFL.

Fannin should take advantage of that after developing chemistry with quarterback Dillon Gabriel over the last two games. Fannin scored a touchdown against the Vikings and had 81 yards on seven receptions versus the Steelers. The former Bowling Green standout is not only producing but also playing 79% of the Browns' offensive snaps over the last three games.

Projection: 72 receiving yards, 6 receptions, TD

Other TEs primed to boom:

• Packers' Tucker Kraft at Cardinals

• Dolphins' Darren Waller at Browns

QB: Chargers' Justin Herbert vs. Colts

Herbert is one of the top scoring quarterbacks this season, and although he's been pretty consistent, he's only had two weeks as a QB1 (QB5 in Week 1 and QB12 in Week 3). You can likely start him against the Colts and get around 15 points, but I think he might have his first real dud of the year here.

The Colts rank in the top 12 in limiting fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, they've picked off seven passes against 10 touchdown passes, and their 16 sacks are tied for seventh most in the NFL. That's a lot to overcome in searching for another QB1 week.

Projection: 214 passing yards, passing TD, 14 rushing yards

Other QBs to bench:

• Colts' Daniel Jones at Chargers

• Seahawks' Sam Darnold vs. Texans

RB: Jets' Breece Hall vs. Panthers

I wouldn't just bench Hall this week; I'd be trying to trade him. He's only played 62% of the Jets' offensive snaps this season, and while he's been solid, he hasn't been special.

Looking at Week 7 in particular, Hall faces a defense that's been one of the 12 best in limiting opposing runners from scoring fantasy points. Carolina has held running backs to under 4.5 yards per carry and under 5.5 yards per reception. Those numbers would be a little concerning for Hall most weeks, but they're especially frightening after he averaged 2.7 yards per tote versus the Broncos.

Projection: 41 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards, 3 receptions

RB: Bears' D'Andre Swift vs. Saints

The Saints rank just behind the Panthers in limiting running backs, allowing the same number of total touchdowns and just a few more yards. Swift had a strong outing against the Commanders, averaging 7.7 yards per carry, but he played just 56% of the offensive snaps. That's the lowest rate he's seen this season.

Swift has finished as RB28 and RB24 (half-PPR) in the two other below-average matchups he's had this campaign. On top of that, he's only managed better than 3.2 yards per carry in two games. This is a week to fade Swift.

Projection: 37 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards, 4 receptions

Other RBs to bench:

• Seahawks' Kenneth Walker vs. Texans

• Titans' Tony Pollard vs. Patriots

WR: Colts' Michael Pittman Jr. at Chargers

The Chargers have the No. 6 defense in passing yards per game, they've surrendered the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, and their 16 sacks are tied for seventh best in the NFL. Most concerningly, Pittman has been pretty reliant on touchdowns this season, and Los Angeles has only given up two receiving touchdowns to wideouts. The Broncos (one) are the only team ahead of the Chargers in that category.

Pittman has fallen short of 50 receiving yards in three straight games and four of six contests this campaign. I wouldn't expect him to right the ship this week against a tough L.A. defense that also ranks 12th in points allowed per game (20.8).

Projection: 43 receiving yards, 5 receptions

WR: Panthers' Tetairoa McMillan at Jets

McMillan had a strong performance against the Cowboys, but his fantasy point total would've been well under double digits if not for his first two career touchdowns. (He caught just one other pass for eight yards.) He's far less likely to find the end zone against a Jets unit that's only given up four touchdowns to wide receivers in six games.

The rookie first-rounder should receive a healthy share of Bryce Young's passing attempts, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Carolina really lean on the running game, limiting the total volume that McMillan sees. Rico Dowdle has been almost unstoppable the last two weeks and now has two of the four best scrimmage yard performances in Panthers history, including the No. 1 spot. That production, combined with New York's 10th-worst defense in limiting running back fantasy points per game, indicates a game plan that's likely to feature a lot of rushing.

Projection: 46 receiving yards, 3 receptions

Other WRs to bench:

• Giants' Wan'Dale Robinson at Broncos

• Saints' Rashid Shaheed at Bears

TE: 49ers' Jake Tonges/George Kittle vs. Falcons

George Kittle could return this week, which would dampen Tonges' prospects even if the former is on a pitch count. But Tonges should be benched regardless of whether Kittle is in the lineup. A matchup with the Falcons is unquestionably the worst these tight ends could ask for.

Although Atlanta has played only five games due to its early bye, the team has remarkably held opposing tight ends to under 10 combined receptions and 100 total receiving yards this season. That spells a bad outing for Tonges and/or Kittle this week.

Projection: 24 receiving yards, 3 receptions

Other TEs to bench:

• Saints' Juwan Johnson at Bears

• Falcons' Kyle Pitts at 49ers

Andrew Dixon is a contributing fantasy analyst for theScore.