Last week was a bit of a mixed bag for my sneaky starts. I suppose that is to be expected given the nature of the experiment. I was disappointed to miss on both running back picks, but hopefully, I can rectify that this week. As always, these are players that are being started in less than 50 percent of Fantrax leagues. I believe these players are quite capable of providing fantasy football managers with starter-level production in Week 7.
Week 7 Sneaky Starts
Quarterback
Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Current Start Percentage: 37 Percent (18th among Quarterbacks)
My Current Week 7 Rank: QB13
Sam Darnold is giving me similar vibes to the way I felt about Jared Goff last week. Ironically, Darnold faces off with Goff and the Detroit Lions this week. I think managers are sleeping a bit on Darnold because he looked rather pedestrian (QB27) last time out, while the Lions held Dak Prescott to a QB28 finish in last week’s rout. But I think Darnold can bounce back this week. He had four straight top-13 weekly finishes before that outing. And he was facing a New York Jets team that is top-three in terms of limiting fantasy points from opposing quarterbacks.
Detroit is a solid defense in their own right, but they have been a pass funnel at times. The Lions are without Aidan Hutchinson after he broke his leg in last week’s game. His absence will be felt in this game because Darnold is completing 72.2 percent of his passes and averaging 9.5 yards per pass when kept clean this year. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has had an extra week to game plan for the Lions, and I expect him to throw some wrinkles at Detroit in the passing game. Running back Aaron Jones has yet to practice this week for the Vikings. If he is out, more will be put on Darnold’s plate in this game. I expect him to have a solid game in Week 7.
Other Quarterbacks to Consider
- Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
- Current Start Percentage: 40 Percent (16th among quarterbacks)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: QB15
Running Backs
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
Current Start Percentage: 48 Percent (29th among Running Backs)
My Current Week 7 Rank: RB24
Damn all of you smart and savvy fantasy football managers out there. I had Tank Bigsby and Bucky Irving earmarked for this space, but you all pushed both of them over the 50 percent threshold between Tuesday and Wednesday. Because of that, I had to pivot elsewhere. My first sneaky start for Week 7 at running back should not be all that sneaky. Kareem Hunt posted an RB26 weekly finish in his 2024 debut back in Week 4. That was the week rookie Carson Steele seemed to seal his fate with another fumble. In their next game, Hunt touched the ball 28 times. Hunt has a tough matchup with the San Francisco 49ers this week. But if he gets anywhere near that workload, he is at least an RB2 in 12-team leagues by default.
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Current Start Percentage: 26 Percent (42nd among Running Backs)
My Current Week 7 Rank: RB30
As a general rule, I do not like starting players who are coming off a long layoff. And I think Nick Chubb going 400 days between his last NFL game and this Sunday would qualify. Having said that, Chubb has at least 100 total yards in seven of 10 career games versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Expecting that level of production is probably unrealistic given the restrictions Chubb is likely to have concerning his workload. But the Bengals rank 31st in the NFL in defensive EPA versus the run. I could certainly see Chubb parlaying 10 or 12 carries into 60 yards and a touchdown. That would make him an RB2 in all formats.
Other Running Backs to Consider
- Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders
- Current Start Percentage: 47 Percent (30th among Running Backs)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: RB31
- Devin Singletary, New York Giants
- Current Start Percentage: 26 Percent (41st among Running Backs)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: RB32
Alexander Mattison is probably a safer choice than Chubb, even if Zamir White returns this week. Mattison has finished as a top-30 back in both of his starts but has averaged just 2.45 yards per carry while doing so. The Raiders play the Los Angeles Rams, who have the 30th-ranked run defense. Mattison should have a decent floor if given the bulk of the carries, but his ceiling is rather low.
Wide Receivers
Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
Current Start Percentage: 40 Percent (46th among Wide Receivers)
My Current Week 7 Rank: WR35
Recommending two Cleveland Browns as Week 7 sneaky starts feels gross. But even though Jerry Jeudy has been silent for two weeks, he should have plenty of opportunities to produce. The Browns traded top receiver Amari Cooper on Tuesday, leaving Jeudy to lead a thin wide receiver corps. Cooper led the Browns with 53 targets in six games. Jeudy has 36, while no other Brown has more than 23. Jeudy could potentially see double-digit targets versus a Bengals pass defense that ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in most relevant metrics. That should at least put him in the Week 7 Flex conversation provided Deshaun Watson can resemble an NFL quarterback on Sunday.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Current Start Percentage: 45 Percent (41st among Wide Receivers)
My Current Week 7 Rank: WR39
This is a bet that Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel can earn his paycheck this week. Miami had a bye last week, so McDaniel had plenty of time to plan for this week’s matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback issues aside, this is a matchup that Waddle should be able to take advantage of. The Colts play zone coverage at one of the highest rates in the NFL. And they do not do a very good job of it. Waddle and fellow Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill have very similar numbers when facing zone coverage this year. But while fantasy managers are treating Hill as a WR2, Waddle is being largely ignored. I believe that is a mistake and that Waddle is just as likely to pop this week as Hill is.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
Current Start Percentage: 42 Percent (43rd among Wide Receivers)
My Current Week 7 Rank: WR40
After serving a one-game suspension due to conduct detrimental to the team, Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs responded with a two-touchdown effort last week. Doubs is a volatile fantasy commodity because the volume is often hit-or-miss. He is only averaging 4.8 targets per game so far this year after averaging over five in each of his first two NFL seasons. However, Doubs would stand to see more targets if Dontayvion Wicks were sidelined or limited this week. Wicks suffered a shoulder injury last week that was initially deemed a week-to-week issue. But Wicks was spotted at Packers practice on Wednesday. Keep an eye on this situation, but for now, I am still willing to trust Romeo Doubs as a potential Flex in Week 7. Green Bay hosts the Houston Texans this week. Houston ranks 19th in the NFL in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
- Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
- Current Start Percentage: 43 Percent (42nd among Wide Receivers)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: WR20
- Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs
- Current Start Percentage: 45 Percent (40th among Wide Receivers
- My Current Week 7 Rank: WR41
- Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers
- Current Start Percentage: 30 Percent (54th among Wide Receivers)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: WR43
I could not list Cooper Kupp in the above section in good conscience. At the same time, I do not want anyone reading this to think I am benching Kupp if he is active on Sunday. Kupp is on the mend after a four-week absence due to an ankle injury. He got in a limited practice on Wednesday, so make sure he is active before locking him into your Week 7 lineups. Kupp may not see his normal workload, but he can still have a productive day with limited snaps, ala Nick Chubb.
Tight End
Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
Current Start Percentage: 39 Percent (16th among Tight Ends)
My Current Week 7 Rank: TE10
Zach Ertz posted a TE10 finish last week, which was good enough for me to score him as a “win” last week. He had a season-high 68 receiving yards and put the previous week’s fluky performance behind him. I am running it back with the Washington tight end in Week 7 when the Commanders face the Carolina Panthers. Carolina ranks 26th in the NFL in both DVOA versus tight ends and fantasy points allowed to the position. They also play zone coverage at an above-average rate, which should help Ertz. If you remove the Week 5 game, Ertz and quarterback Jayden Daniels have connected on 19 of 21 passes this season. Ertz is averaging a shade under five targets per game, which should be plenty to post another top-12 weekly finish given the favorable matchup.
Other Tight Ends to Consider
- Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
- Current Start Percentage: 46 Percent (13th among Tight Ends)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: TE11
Kicker
Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings
Current Start Percentage: 37 Percent (14th among Kickers)
My Current Week 7 Rank: K5
Rookie Will Reichard has done everything that has been asked of him to this point in the season. He has made all 16 of his extra points and all nine of his field goals. Three of those field goals were from over 50 yards, including two in Minnesota’s last game. Minnesota will face the Detroit Lions in Week 7. Detroit ranks 10th in the NFL in terms of red zone touchdown percentage allowed. If they can continue to tighten up in scoring territory, the Vikings may have to settle for field goals. Reichard has finished as a top-12 fantasy kicker in three of his last four games, including two top-six finishes. I expect him to reach that bar once again this week.
Other Kicker to Consider
- Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers
- Current Start Percentage: 27 Percent (16th among Kickers)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: K6
Defense/Special Teams
Los Angeles Rams
Current Start Percentage: 17 Percent (27th among D/STs)
My Current Week 7 Rank: D/ST9
There are several candidates to be sneaky starts this week at defense/special teams. Most of them are in a similar situation. They have good matchups against bad offenses, but they have not been productive D/STs from a fantasy perspective. One of those is the Los Angeles Rams, who are this week’s pick. The Rams face the Las Vegas Raiders, who lead the NFL with 12 turnovers this year. They also rank fifth in sacks allowed with 18. The Rams D/ST is coming off a 10-point performance in their last game, so hopefully they can keep that going this week.
Other Defense/Special Teams to Consider
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Current Start Percentage: 17 Percent (25th among D/STs)
- My Current Week 7 Rank: D/ST10
Make sure to check out all of our Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!