Welcome back, readers! I am happy to return for a second year as The Sporting Tribune's fantasy football analyst. If you are new here, my mission is to help fantasy managers with any dilemmas or questions they may have through the course of the season to ultimately win their leagues. For the next 17 weeks, I will produce weekly fantasy content that will go over the waiver wire, rankings, and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em columns.
Being a fantasy manager often means having to make difficult roster decisions, but I aim to take some of the guesswork out of it with my Start 'Em and Sit 'Em column for every position. It goes without saying that I won't include obvious calls like "start Trey McBride" or "sit Tommy DeVito." Instead, I search for players that could be perceived as fringe that could propel your lineups for weekly wins.
As always, if you have any questions or don't see your players here, feel free to follow me on Twitter (X) – @JamesNewell96 and send me a message, where I typically respond in a timely manner.
Start ’Em
Jordan Love @ DET (Projected FPTS – 19.8): I usually don’t do a start of the week, but if I did, I would put Love on it. He’s been on quite a tear over the last two weeks, putting up over 20 fantasy points in each contest. He now gets an irresistible matchup against the Lions, who’ve allowed all five quarterbacks they’ve faced to score 21-plus fantasy points and are dead last in passing yards allowed per attempt and EPA per dropback on deep throws. It should be a big day for Love and his receivers, Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
C.J. Stroud vs. NYG (Projected FPTS – 18.4): The former 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year has been building momentum over his last three games. He’s completed 71.6 percent of his passes and has thrown for 920 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception. He has also scored 20 or more fantasy points in three straight games. With Nico Collins, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jaylin Noel catching his passes, Stroud will have another familiar name back on the field in Tank Dell. This week he has a favorable matchup against the Giants’ defense, which has allowed 59.22 fantasy points to Jayden Daniels and Tyler Shough in their last two games.
Matthew Stafford @ LV (Projected FPTS – 19.1): Stafford enters Week Seven without one of his top wideouts, Davante Adams. It’s a big blow to the Rams’ already struggling offense, but he played without Adams last season, and in those three games, Stafford averaged 24 fantasy points. I believe he has a great matchup this week against the Raiders, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and rank seventh in EPA per game. Don’t hesitate to start Stafford.
Honorable Mentions: Jared Goff vs. GB; Aaron Rodgers @ NO; Kyler Murray vs. IND; Bryce Young vs. TB; Bo Nix @ ARI; Geno Smith vs. MIA.
Sit ’Em
Tyler Shough vs. PIT (Projected FPTS – 16.9): Through the first four weeks, Shough averaged a solid 300.8 passing yards per game. But he’s cooled down over his last two games, throwing for just 240 yards combined. This week, Shough and the Saints travel to Paris to take on the Steelers, who have been stingy against quarterbacks this season. Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed just one QB to score more than 12.9 fantasy points and has recorded the fifth-lowest EPA per game to the position. If you have a better option available, I would pivot away from Shough.
Sam Darnold vs. KC (Projected FPTS – 14.6): Darnold’s one big game this season came against a bad Washington defense in Week Three. Averaging 10.21 fantasy points over his last three games, he has thrown for three touchdowns and five interceptions. The mistakes are happening too often, which makes it easy to list him as a sit. This week it doesn’t get any better for Darnold, as he’ll go against the Chiefs at home. Kansas City has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game and the seventh-fewest EPA to opposing quarterbacks.
Patrick Mahomes @ SEA (Projected FPTS – 17.5): Despite being 5-0 and eclipsing 21 points in his first two games of the season, Mahomes has slowly become average in fantasy. He hasn’t scored more than 17 fantasy points since and is coming off a season-low 10.48 points against the Chargers, who’ve been dealing with injuries. Mahomes is missing some of his playmakers, with Rashee Rice banged up and Tyquan Thornton out for the season. Rice has a chance to come back this week, which could help his quarterback. However, what won’t help is that Mahomes will take on the Seahawks, who’ve allowed the second-fewest points per game to the position.
Lowlights: Daniel Jones @ MIN; Jacoby Brissett vs. DEN; Michael Penix Jr. vs. SF; Deshaun Watson @ TEN; J.J. McCarthy @ HOU; Malik Willis @ NYJ.