Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Week 7: Model that beat experts says start Niko Goodrum, fade Charlie Blackmon

Advanced computer model that has outperformed experts tells you who to sit and start

Week 7 of the Fantasy baseball season brings plenty of tough questions for owners as they set their lineups. Should you go with a proven option like Brewers third baseman Mike Moustakas, who has a tough week of matchups, or roll the dice on a low-owned, high-upside option like David Bote, who's been seeing significant playing time for the Cubs? Should a player dealing with an injury like Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) be high up in Week 7 Fantasy baseball rankings? These are the types of questions owners will have to answer before locking in their Week 7 lineups and working the Fantasy baseball waiver wire. And owners around the country know a victory this week could be the determining factor between their team making the playoffs or going home empty-handed. With so much uncertainly and so much at stake, you should see the 2019 Fantasy baseball rankings for the coming week from SportsLine's advanced computer model.

Last week, the model was extremely high on Nationals second baseman Howie Kendrick, saying he'd finish inside the top 10 second basemen despite being owned in less than 15 percent of leagues. The result: Kendrick enters the weekend having recorded six hits in his past three games. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on their way to a huge week.

Now the model, which simulates every pitch and every at-bat 10,000 times, has set its sights on Fantasy baseball and has revealed its rankings for the week of May 6-12.

One player the model is high on this week: Tigers second baseman Niko Goodrum. He got off to an extremely strong start this season, but the 27-year-old had been in a slump recently, as he entered Detroit's first game against Philadelphia with just one hit in his last six games. However, he went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run homer in that contest and followed it up with a two-hit performance against the Phillies. 

Goodrum will look to keep that momentum going this week as the Tigers play seven games. Detroit will square off against the Angels and Twins, two teams that rank in the bottom half of the league in ERA. That bodes well for Goodrum, who's projected to finish as the No. 6 Fantasy second baseman in Week 7 despite the fact that he's being started in just 35 percent of CBS Sports Leagues. Lock him in as one of the top Fantasy baseball picks and look for a big return this week.

And a massive shocker: Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon, the third-best player at his position according to market value, stumbles this week and finishes outside the top 25. Blackmon and the Rockies will play six games this week against extremely tough pitching. Colorado will open the week with a three-game series against the Giants, who boast a top 10 pitching staff. The Rockies will close the week with a three-game home stand against the Padres, who are allowing opponents to hit just .227 against them. He's a player to consider putting on the bench.

The model is also calling for a surprising catcher you aren't even thinking about to finish in the top five of the Week 7 Fantasy baseball rankings. This pick could be the difference between winning big and going home with nothing.

So who should you sit and start this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 7 Fantasy baseball rankings for every position, plus see which catcher is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top five, all from the model that out-performed experts in football big time last season, and find out.