Week 7 Rankings: Standard | PPR
The Lineup Cheat Sheet combines Fantasy analysis and game flow predictions with a confidence scale to give you a definitive answer on who to start in your leagues.
The higher the number next to a player's name, the more confident you should be to start him.
If a player isn't listed, don't start him.
Numbers are based on non-PPR scoring but are typically applicable to PPR formats.
To find a specific player, use your 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.
If you're still unsure, just send a note on Twitter (@daverichard) using #CBSFLCS and I'll give it a look, time permitting.
Until last week, the Pack's run defense was fantastic, but they allowed big stats to a very powerful run game. The Bears struggled to move the chains at home against the Jaguars last Sunday, and that was with Sitton playing. Have No. 2 running back expectations for Howard this week.
Giants vs. Rams in Twickenham, England
It was one thing when Mike Evans and John Brown erupted for big games against the Rams, but when Marvin Jones, Golden Tate, Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts took turns scoring on them last week you knew the pass defense was utterly hopeless ... and here comes Odell Beckham.
It's probably in the Rams' best interests to double-cover OBJ and take their chances with Sterling Shepard, Victor Cruz and tight end Larry Donnell. Maybe that makes one or more of them sneaky Fantasy options, but it won't do them any good if Eli Manning is under pressure. With Robert Quinn on the mend, it's a safe bet the Rams' pass rush will attack early and often to disrupt the Giants' most optimal matchup on the field. For the second week in a row, Manning's success will hinge on his O-line.
| Giants | Rams | ||
| Eli Manning | (8.1) | Case Keenum | (6.0) |
| Rashad Jennings | (4.7) | Todd Gurley | (8.0) |
| Bobby Rainey | (4.0) | Kenny Britt | (6.1) |
| Odell Beckham | (9.3) | Brian Quick | (3.2) |
| Sterling Shepard | (5.4) | Tavon Austin | (3.0) |
| Victor Cruz | (2.8) | Lance Kendricks | (4.0) |
| Larry Donnell | (5.4) | Rams DST | (6.5) |
| Giants DST | (7.3) |
Sneaky Sleeper
Nobody wants to start Britt. A career underachiever, the veteran wideout has found himself in the middle of a breakout season at age 28. He's had at least six targets in five of six games, catching four or more in all of them. He's had at least 75 yards in three straight and four of his last five. And he took advantage of a soft matchup last week with two touchdowns.
If we set the bar low at nine Fantasy points, Britt should get it -- the G-Men have watched a receiver land at least that many in four of their last five. Britt's a usable No. 3 receiver, ahead of Jarvis Landry, Torrey Smith and Jordan Matthews.
Saints at Chiefs
While the Chiefs should find success marching down the field however they see fit, the Saints find themselves in a precarious spot. They're just not the same team outdoors on grass -- they're 2-5 in their last seven on the natural stuff.
The Chiefs came out of the bye week playing better than expected, giving up just 225 pass yards and one touchdowns to the Raiders. Drew Brees will have to throw plenty, sending him into a tough matchup against a Kansas City secondary that has played much better at home than away from Arrowhead.
| Saints | Chiefs | ||
| Drew Brees | (7.8) | Alex Smith | (4.7) |
| Mark Ingram | (7.0) | Spencer Ware | (8.1) |
| Travaris Cadet | (3.9) | Jamaal Charles | (6.35) |
| Brandin Cooks | (7.35) | Jeremy Maclin | (5.1) |
| Michael Thomas | (7.3) | Travis Kelce | (6.6) |
| Willie Snead | (5.9) | Chiefs DST | (5.7) |
| Coby Fleener | (6.2) | ||
| Saints DST | (4.1) |
Start Him
Yep, all the fuss is about Jamaal Charles coming back, but in the two games since his return we've seen Ware play considerably more. Game flow had a lot to do with that -- in one game the Chiefs got blown out and in the other they built a grand lead. In both cases there was no need to lean heavily on Charles, so Ware got some run.
Despite the notion that the Saints' offense is dangerous, the hunch is the Chiefs will successfully run the ball, not only to attack the Saints' biggest weakness but to also shorten the game and keep the defense from getting lit up by Drew Brees. It should pave the way for Ware to out-stat Charles for the third week in a row.
Colts at Titans
The past couple of weeks have been really good to the Titans offense. In a pair of very favorable matchups, Marcus Mariota didn't attempt a lot of passes (53 total) but completed a lot of them (69.8 percent) for nice amount of yards (447) and three touchdowns per game! He has also run for at least 60 yards in those two games.
Make no mistake, the Titans are a run-first team -- and they will run a ton against this awful Indianapolis defense -- but Mariota has been coming into his own. He's hit six pass plays of 20-plus yards in those last eight quarters and should string more together against the Colts, who have allowed 18 such pass plays this year.
| Colts | Titans | ||
| Andrew Luck | (7.9) | Marcus Mariota | (7.6) |
| Frank Gore | (6.9) | DeMarco Murray | (9.2) |
| T.Y. Hilton | (9.0) | Derrick Henry | (4.2) |
| Chester Rogers | (4.3) | Kendall Wright | (3.9) |
| Jack Doyle | (7.3) | Andre Johnson | (2.5) |
| Erik Swoope | (4.2) | Rishard Matthews | (2.1) |
| Colts DST | (4.3) | Delanie Walker | (8.2) |
| Titans DST | (5.5) |
Start Him
Andrew Luck has always liked his tight ends. In fact, he's commonly played with two of them. But on the rare occasions when he only has one because of injuries, that tight end has been great. Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen have each had their moments in the sun when the other was hurt. This time, it's Doyle's turn with Allen on the shelf with an ankle injury. Tack on injuries to other Colts receivers and Doyle should be automatic for a bunch of targets.
There is no way the Titans will focus their coverage on him with T.Y. Hilton on the field. And yeah, Tennessee has allowed just one score to a tight end all season, but they also haven't faced many threats at that position. Luck has thrown four touchdowns to tight ends in his past three against the Titans. Doyle's not just a streamer -- he's a must-start.
Vikings at Eagles
In the past two weeks, Carson Wentz has gone from rookie sensation to ... well, a rookie. A good rookie, but a rookie nonetheless. He had the game-losing interception at Detroit two weeks ago and started feeling the heat of playing without right tackle Lane Johnson against the Redskins last week.
The matchup against Minnesota is going to be tough on his run game, his receivers, his offensive line and him. Though he's playing at home and has still shown remarkable poise for a rookie, Wentz figures to struggle.
| Vikings | Eagles | ||
| Sam Bradford | (5.7) | Carson Wentz | (4.9) |
| Jerick McKinnon | (7.15) | Ryan Mathews | (5.8) |
| Matt Asiata | (6.0) | Darren Sproles | (4.3) |
| Stefon Diggs | (5.45) | Jordan Matthews | (4.9) |
| Adam Thielen | (2.6) | Dorial Green-Beckham | (2.2) |
| Kyle Rudolph | (7.8) | Zach Ertz | (4.4) |
| Vikings DST | (8.7) | Eagles DST | (7.5) |
Start Them
What has happened to the Eagles' defense against running backs over the last two weeks?! Against the backs of the Lions and Redskins -- two of the least formidable run offenses in the league -- Philadelphia allowed 289 rush yards and a score on 48 carries and 85 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches on 11 grabs. It also lost capable defensive lineman Bennie Logan to a groin strain for good measure.
Sam Bradford knows this Eagles defense well, but there is no doubt the Vikings will attack this front seven and try to churn out yards as the Redskins did on the ground or like the Lions did via the catch-and-run. McKinnon is worth trying as a No. 2 running back and Asiata as a flex.
Browns at Bengals
The past two weeks have been a total nightmare for the Bengals defense. Five total touchdowns to running backs?! Giving up 5.8 yards per rush and 7.7 yards per catch to backs?! Is Geno Atkins playing or what?!? Truth is, Cincinnati's linebackers have been a liability in run defense -- for example, they missed five tackles last week. But they've also dealt with some very good offenses and offensive lines.
The Browns' offensive line is a mess and their offense is far from good. Figure the Browns try to get moving on the ground, but don't count on Isaiah Crowell or Duke Johnson becoming success stories.
| Browns | Bengals | ||
| Cody Kessler | (4.4) | Andy Dalton | (8.0) |
| Isaiah Crowell | (6.25) | Jeremy Hill | (6.6) |
| Duke Johnson | (5.3) | Giovani Bernard | (6.5) |
| Terrelle Pryor | (6.75) | A.J. Green | (9.2) |
| Ricardo Louis | (1.8) | Brandon LaFell | (5.5) |
| Gary Barnidge | (6.4) | Tyler Eifert | (6.3) |
| Browns DST | (3.3) | Bengals DST | (9.1) |
Start Him
Maybe the reason Hill hasn't seen much work lately is because the Bengals have had to play from behind. But last week at New England they weren't behind when they rode with Giovani Bernard at the goal line. He failed. The game script figures to have the Bengals playing with the lead, which should mean a nice workload for Hill.
The Browns have allowed a touchdown to a big lead running back in all but one game (Week 2 versus Baltimore, which had a bad run attack at the time). Hill's a safe bet for six and some moderate yardage too. Think No. 2 running back -- and ahead of Gio in your lineups.
Redskins at Lions
These teams really mirror each other -- pass-oriented offensive schemes with spotty defenses that can be exploited. The Lions have given up at least one score to a receiver in every game this season and five pass plays of 40-plus yards. DeSean Jackson will do his job of stretching the Detroit defense, opening up underneath stuff for Jamison Crowder and Pierre Garcon.
| Redskins | Lions | ||
| Kirk Cousins | (7.7) | Matthew Stafford | (8.5) |
| Matt Jones | (6.7) | Dwayne Washington | (6.67) |
| Chris Thompson | (4.9) | Golden Tate | (6.5) |
| DeSean Jackson | (5.77) | Marvin Jones | (6.3) |
| Jamison Crowder | (5.0) | Anquan Boldin | (5.2) |
| Pierre Garcon | (4.5) | Lions DST | (5.3) |
| Vernon Davis | (5.6) | ||
| Redskins DST | (4.9) |
Risky Start
The Lions kept trying to get Tate in space to make plays, and last week he broke through. His second touchdown came on a screen pass turned upfield, but his first was on a deep ball that was thrown on a free play. In both cases really poor cornerback play was involved.
So maybe some of his success was because of the matchup, but certainly he deserves credit for still having speed and an offense that believes in him (even if he had a drop). The matchup is harder this week, but he's not hopeless. Really, he needs to keep getting targets -- 10 last week were a season-high. He's safest as a third receiver and a flex, not a must-start guy.
Raiders at Jaguars
It's another tough matchup for Jacksonville's improved-but-not-perfect secondary. Last week missed tackles were responsible for the two longest pass plays allowed, both over 20 yards. If Jalen Ramsey can't wrap up Amari Cooper it's going to cost the Jaguars six points.
But Ramsey can otherwise keep up with Cooper, and Prince Amukamara with Michael Crabtree, making it a tougher-than-normal situation for the Raiders. It doesn't help that they can't run the ball or are on the road playing out east for the fourth time in seven weeks (and next week will be five in eight!).
| Raiders | Jaguars | ||
| Derek Carr | (7.2) | Blake Bortles | (6.6) |
| Latavius Murray | (6.3) | T.J. Yeldon | (6.2) |
| DeAndre Washington | (3.95) | Chris Ivory | (5.9) |
| Amari Cooper | (8.4) | Allen Robinson | (8.7) |
| Michael Crabtree | (6.8) | Allen Hurns | (4.8) |
| Seth Roberts | (2.7) | Marqise Lee | (3.55) |
| Raiders DST | (6.7) | Julius Thomas | (5.2) |
| Jaguars DST | (5.1) |
Sneaky Sleepers
The Raiders rank dead last in passing yards allowed per game and are also 30th in rush yards allowed -- 132.2 per outing. In their last five games the Raiders have allowed six total touchdowns (five rushing) and 5.1 yards per carry to opposing running backs. And in those five games, seven running backs have put up at least nine Fantasy points. So can the Jaguars take advantage?
In their last favorable matchup (versus Indy) Yeldon had 117 total yards. Last week Ivory scored and handled more carries but averaged 2.9 yards per run -- and Yeldon played more snaps. There's a reasonable chance both guys get some nice numbers, making them desirable flex options and lineup hole fillers for those missing running backs this week.
Bills at Dolphins
Whether it's LeSean McCoy or Mike Gillislee, the Bills should roll against a very suspect Dolphins run defense. It helps that the Bills offensive line is strong. Rex Ryan has a winning formula against the Dolphins, beating them in 4 of his last 5 AFC East meetings, so don't expect Miami's defense to stay at the level they were at in Week 6.
| Bills | Dolphins | ||
| Tyrod Taylor | (6.5) | Ryan Tannehill | (4.2) |
| LeSean McCoy | (8.25) | Jay Ajayi | (6.4) |
| Mike Gillislee | (5.1) | Jarvis Landry | (5.8) |
| Marquise Goodwin | (4.1) | DeVante Parker | (4.0) |
| Charles Clay | (7.0) | Dolphins DST | (3.5) |
| Bills DST | (8.1) |
Risky Start
The guy just ran for 200 yards, how bad can he be? Guess what, he's not running against a Steelers defense missing a bunch of starters this week. Instead, he'll challenge a Bills run defense allowing 3.8 yards per carry and 103.2 rush yards per game. That D ranks 15th in the league, but in the past three weeks has held the Pats backs, Todd Gurley and Carlos Hyde to 3.5 yards per rush with one score. The play of Kyle Williams, Zach Brown and Preston Brown has been big, and even with a good O-line, Ajayi will run into trouble. He's going to have to score to touch 10 Fantasy points.
Ravens at Jets
The Jets didn't draw it up this way, but they'll take on the Ravens with their best pass rusher hurt, their best cornerback coming off a concussion and their best run stopper sidelined. It's a best-case scenario for Geno Smith to make his first start since late 2014. Unless the Ravens send Smith after Brandon Marshall, expect the Jets to leverage Marshall against Baltimore's weaker corners and take advantage with a big dose of targets.
| Ravens | Jets | ||
| Joe Flacco | (5.1) | Geno Smith | (3.7) |
| Terrance West | (6.8) | Matt Forte | (5.4) |
| Mike Wallace | (6.6) | Bilal Powell | (4.4) |
| Breshad Perriman | (4.2) | Brandon Marshall | (8.5) |
| Kamar Aiken | (3.6) | Quincy Enunwa | (3.5) |
| Dennis Pitta | (4.6) | Jets DST | (4.7) |
| Ravens DST | (7.9) |
Sneaky Sleeper
The Jets pass defense is atrocious. In its past three games receivers have caught 46 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns. Joe Flacco's arm is a little sore these days, but even he should be capable enough to push the ball downfield to a target like Wallace. He's had at least nine targets in each of his last three games, coming through with 97 yards last week. The matchup is ridiculously favorable, so Wallace should fall into lineups as a boom-or-bust wideout on the No. 2/No. 3 receiver fence. He's worth taking a chance on over Willie Snead, Robert Woods or any Lions wideout (even Marvin Jones!).
Buccaneers at 49ers
The Niners had one really solid offensive weapon. That was Carlos Hyde. If he's out for Sunday, they're down to no solid offensive weapons. That's not so good. Luckily, they'll take on a struggling Buccaneers defense.
This will sound a little crazy, but given the lack of a pass rush and a lack of a deep secondary, this should be a good week for Colin Kaepernick. He's unlikely to fall too far behind on the scoreboard and he should be able to stretch the Bucs with the deep ball and keep them honest with his own running. Kaepernick should lead the Niners to their second win on the year.
| Buccaneers | 49ers | ||
| Jameis Winston | (7.1) | Colin Kaepernick | (6.4) |
| Jacquizz Rodgers | (7.4) | Mike Davis | (5.5) |
| Mike Evans | (9.1) | Shaun Draughn | (4.8) |
| Cameron Brate | (5.8) | Torrey Smith | (5.6) |
| Buccaneers DST | (6.1) | Jeremy Kerley | (3.1) |
| 49ers DST | (4.5) |
Start Him
Two weeks ago, the Buccaneers had no choice but to lean on Rodgers as their do-it-all back. The veteran had 35 touches and over 125 yards. Nothing has changed for Tampa Bay with Doug Martin still sidelined and the backup rushers nothing special. Rodgers, in fact, isn't overly special as a running back, but if he's going to get 20-plus touches against a generous Niners run defense, Fantasy owners should do the math. Rodgers is worth starting, especially with so many other running backs missing time this week.
Chargers at Falcons
Over the past three weeks against run-minded offenses, two on the road, the Falcons held opposing running backs to 3.1 yards per rush. That's a stat that might make the Chargers puke, especially since Melvin Gordon has averaged 3.4 yards per rush this season.
Between that and the Falcons offense expected to keep flying high, this game's gonna end up riding on the arm of Philip Rivers. He'll keep the fires burning for Hunter Henry, but his receiving corps has some potentially shaky matchups since solid Falcons cornerback Marcus Trufant will mix and match where he lines up.
| Chargers | Falcons | ||
| Philip Rivers | (7.5) | Matt Ryan | (9.4) |
| Melvin Gordon | (7.7) | Devonta Freeman | (9.1) |
| Dexter McCluster | (3.6) | Tevin Coleman | (7.6) |
| Travis Benjamin | (4.95) | Julio Jones | (10.0) |
| Tyrell Williams | (4.6) | Mohamed Sanu | (5.05) |
| Dontrelle Inman | (2.0) | Jacob Tamme | (6.1) |
| Hunter Henry | (8.3) | Falcons DST | (6.3) |
| Chargers DST | (3.7) |
Start Him
Maybe the Falcons will win in a rout, or maybe it'll be a high-scoring competitive game. But it's unlikely the Chargers run defense will play like the Seahawks did last week and limit Atlanta from doing what it wants on the ground.
It's in favorable situations like this where Coleman should be leaned on as anything from a home-run flex to a go-for-the-gusto No. 2 running back. The Chargers run defense has improved to the point where it ranks fifth in yardage allowed (83.5 yards per game) but has still given up seven scores on the ground including at least one in every road game so far.
Patriots at Steelers
After Jay Ajayi steamrolled the Steelers defense last week, you better believe the Patriots will try the same exact thing. With no Cameron Heyward and no Ryan Shazier on the field for Pittsburgh, the type of looks LeGarrette Blount and James White will see will involve six- and seven-man fronts with some backups. That's sweet. Tom Brady fans might not like this, but we could see a big game for Blount, which means not nearly as much passing for Brady (but you'll still start him -- he does have three-plus touchdowns in four of his last five against The Burgh).
| Patriots | Steelers | ||
| Tom Brady | (9.2) | Landry Jones | (3.0) |
| LeGarrette Blount | (8.5) | Le'Veon Bell | (9.0) |
| James White | (7.1) | Antonio Brown | (7.5) |
| Julian Edelman | (6.4) | Sammie Coates | (2.9) |
| Chris Hogan | (4.4) | Eli Rogers | (2.3) |
| Rob Gronkowski | (8.9) | Steelers DST | (3.9) |
| Martellus Bennett | (7.6) | ||
| Patriots DST | (8.9) |
Risky Start
Sit Antonio Brown? Am you nuts? Maybe you are nuts to trust a supremely talented receiver with a below-average quarterback. And maybe you're nuts to think the Patriots won't do everything they can to take him out of the game plan once a lead -- any lead -- is built.
Our own Chris Towers noted that Brown's never caught a score from anyone other than Big Ben, and in four games without Roethlisberger last season, Brown averaged just over four catches and just under 60 yards per game. Gross! If his name were Sammie Coates, Eli Rogers or Jesse James you wouldn't start him. But you know who he is and what he's capable of doing, so you'll probably still start him. Rejoice if he gets you 100 yards.
Seahawks at Cardinals
Not only have the Seahawks dominated in three of the past four meetings, but in their wins they've held the Cardinals to six points or less! Seattle, meanwhile, has run up at least 32 points in each of their last three against the Cards.
Wilson has been a major factor, recording at least 18 Fantasy points in four straight and five of six. Seattle's run game has also been successful against Arizona, including a 100-yard outing for Christine Michael last year while Marshawn Lynch was hurt. He should actually end up being the engine of the Seattle game plan.
| Seahawks | Cardinals | ||
| Russell Wilson | (6.9) | Carson Palmer | (5.9) |
| Christine Michael | (8.3) | David Johnson | (8.7) |
| Doug Baldwin | (7.0) | Larry Fitzgerald | (7.7) |
| Tyler Lockett | (4.7) | Michael Floyd | (3.3) |
| Jimmy Graham | (8.0) | Cardinals DST | (8.5) |
| Seahawks DST | (8.3) |
Sit Him
There's concern about the strength of Carson Palmer's arm. He didn't complete a pass longer than 14 yards last week and only attempted one pass that went 20 or more yards. That's not because of the matchup. So is he hurting? Maybe.
He has also been pretty bad against Seattle, boasting one game with 300 yards, one game with multiple touchdowns and two games with multiple interceptions in four games since joining the Cards. Also, receiver John Brown either will not play or play at less than 100 percent. With the hunch that the Seahawks will bring a heavy pass rush (Michael Bennett and Frank Clark are healthy), Palmer's probably going to disappoint.
Texans at Broncos
Here it is -- the Brock Osweiler Bowl! There isn't a bit of doubt that the Broncos have had this game circled since Osweiler left for Houston as a free agent in March. And Osweiler's probably had it circled too, only he's the one who is probably going to get jolted by the Broncos defense. He has never played well under pressure and he's sure to be under a lot of it, which means weaker-than-usual numbers for his receivers. Houston's defense collapsed last week, so unless it becomes resilient, this could be a lay-up for the Broncos.
| Texans | Broncos | ||
| Brock Osweiler | (4.0) | Trevor Siemian | (6.3) |
| Lamar Miller | (6.65) | C.J. Anderson | (8.2) |
| DeAndre Hopkins | (6.7) | Devontae Booker | (5.0) |
| Will Fuller | (3.4) | Demaryius Thomas | (8.2) |
| C.J. Fiedorowicz | (5.0) | Emmanuel Sanders | (8.05) |
| Texans DST | (6.9) | Broncos DST | (9.3) |
Start Them
Everyone's sour on these two after last week, but let's not lose sight of what they did in the three games prior. In Weeks 3, 4 and 5, Thomas scored and had at least five catches and 49 yards. In the same three games, Sanders had at least seven catches, 80 yards and scored in two of the three games.
The Texans pass defense is a mess with injured cornerbacks. The key for Denver is to protect Siemian, a problem from Week 6. But in a game that means so much to the front office and coaching staff, expect every effort to be made to keep Siemian comfortable at home -- and that will lead to good numbers for the receivers.
Bears at Packers
Injuries are going to severely impact this game for both teams. Green Bay's secondary is in shambles as it looks as if LaDarius Gunter and Demetri Goodson are the starting cornerbacks. Combined they've played 277 snaps this season with Gunter allowing nearly 15 yards per catch and a score every 7.5 receptions. The Packers' run game is in flux as Eddie Lacy is out for a while -- here's a lot more on that situation.
But the Bears have problems of their own. Left guard Josh Sitton, who has been such a boon for their run game, is out for a while. Sitton's absence might make the biggest impact in the game, but the Packers should let Rodgers rip it out of four- and five-receiver sets against this shaky Chicago defense.
| Bears | Packers | ||
| Brian Hoyer | (7.0) | Aaron Rodgers | (8.6) |
| Jordan Howard | (7.2) | Don Jackson | (4.6) |
| Alshon Jeffery | (7.6) | Knile Davis | (3.7) |
| Cameron Meredith | (7.25) | Jordy Nelson | (8.1) |
| Zach Miller | (7.4) | Randall Cobb | (7.95) |
| Bears DST | (5.9) | Ty Montgomery | (5.75) |
| Davante Adams | (5.35) | ||
| Packers DST | (7.1) |
Risky Start
Just how big of a loss is Sitton? According to Pro Football Focus, he was the Bears' second-best run blocker and top pass protector. Center Cody Whitehair has done more for the Bears run game, but much of his success has come because of Sitton crouching to his direct left. Bank on the Bears focusing on running behind Whitehair and Kyle Long, but if we know it then the Packers know it too.
