Week 7 Start/Sit: Bench Mahomes If You Built the Escape Hatch

Deep leagues have their own weather.

Steelers at Saints, 9:30 a.m. ET

START: Jaylen Warren, RB2

Warren has handled at least fourteen opportunities in every game, including all three alongside Rico Dowdle. New Orleans gives running backs 29.7 fantasy points per game and 1.05 points per opportunity, both league highs, and has allowed a rushing touchdown every week.

Dowdle carries no injury designation. Warren doesn't need an absence to get there.

SIT: Tyler Shough

The early passing numbers have disappeared. Shough averaged 300.8 yards through Week 4, then managed 240 combined over his past two games. Pittsburgh has held five of six opposing quarterbacks below thirteen fantasy points.

49ers at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET

START: Kyle Pitts, low-end TE1

Pitts drew a season-high seven targets last week and turned them into five catches, sixty yards, and two touchdowns.

Seven targets settle this one. Start Pitts.

Bengals at Ravens, 1 p.m. ET

START: Mark Andrews, low-end TE1

Andrews has scored fewer than six fantasy points in three of his past four games and caught one pass last week. The matchup still puts him inside the starting line.

Buccaneers at Panthers, 1 p.m. ET

START: Chuba Hubbard, RB2

Tampa Bay hasn't allowed a running back to rush for more than sixty yards this season. Hubbard can survive that because he owns a 70% carry share, an 80% snap rate, and a 19.7-point scoring average.

Expect work rather than fireworks.

Giants at Texans, 1 p.m. ET

SIT: Cam Skattebo

He played six snaps and received zero touches after opening the season with at least fifteen touches in each of his first five games.

Sit him until the Giants restore the role.

START: Woody Marks, RB2/flex

The Giants have allowed a sixty-yard rusher in five straight games and double-digit fantasy points to seven different backs.

Marks has the workload and the matchup. Put him in.

Colts at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET

START: Keenan Allen, especially in full PPR

Tyler Warren is out again. Allen drew eleven targets without him last week, commanded a 34% first-read share, and generated 21.9 expected fantasy points.

SIT: Daniel Jones, including most superflex lineups

Jones hasn't reached fourteen fantasy points in a game. Minnesota owns a league-high 9.3% sack rate, while Indianapolis has allowed pressure on 42.1% of dropbacks and committed eleven turnovers.

That staircase is wet from top to bottom. Stay off it.

Dolphins at Jets, 1 p.m. ET

START: Ollie Gordon if active, RB2

The Jets surrender 105.8 rushing yards per game to running backs, sixth-most in the league. Gordon's contact balance and explosive runs fit the matchup cleanly.

START: Braelon Allen, RB2

Start Allen and quit staring at the waiver page.

Washington has caught at least five passes in three straight games and continues to see seven-plus targets from Malik Willis.

Browns at Titans, 1 p.m. ET

SIT: Harold Fannin

Fannin runs plenty of routes. Those routes have produced two catches for thirteen yards over the past two games.

Tennessee allows only 29.2 receiving yards per game to tight ends, second-fewest in the NFL, and no tight end has cleared thirty-five yards against it. Find another tight end.

Broncos at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET

START: Tyler Allgeier, flex

Jeremiyah Love is out, and Allgeier started Arizona's first two series last week. Denver has allowed 139.8 rushing yards per game, the second-highest mark in the league.

The workload may wobble, but the path is open and the defense invites the run. Allgeier belongs in the flex.

START: Jaylen Waddle if active, WR3

If Denver clears him, start him.

His 19% target share and seven fantasy points per game have been rotten, but Arizona has allowed opposing No. 1 receivers to exceed eighty yards in four of six games. The recent box scores have already charged you for the disappointment. This is where you collect something back.

Packers at Lions, 4:25 p.m. ET

SIT: Jameson Williams

Bench him.

START: Tucker Kraft, TE1

Kraft has at least five catches in three straight games and seven-plus targets in three of his past four.

No speech needed. Start Kraft.

Rams at Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET

START: Tyler Higbee, lower-end TE1

Higbee has topped sixty yards in two of three games and led Colby Parkinson in routes and first-read share last week.

The Rams have enough uncertainty in the receiving room to keep Higbee busy. Take the routes and move on.

Chiefs at Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET

SIT: Patrick Mahomes if you have a top-ten alternative

Mahomes hasn't exceeded seventeen fantasy points since Week 2 and scored 10.48 last week. Seattle allows league lows in passing yards per game at 156.8, yards per attempt at 5.2, and yards after the catch at 81.7.

A legitimate top-ten alternative starts over Mahomes. The name on the jersey doesn't score the points, which is inconvenient for the jersey.

START: Travis Kelce, with TE2 expectations

Kelce's 16.5% target share and 2.4 yards per route run keep him in the lineup, especially with Rice unavailable.

Start Kelce for the volume. Expect an ordinary afternoon from a famous player.

*ZeroChalk is not affiliated with the NFL, NFL teams, or the NFLPA.