Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 7 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Bucky Irving, Darnell Mooney, Davante Adams, Jordan Mason

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights on RotoBaller.com feature key players to consider for your starting lineups every week during the 2024 fantasy football season. “The King” includes a fantasy analysis of starting options that may be involved in your close lineup calls.

The potential fantasy starters highlighted in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Be sure to enter the promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount and get access to his player rankings in all formats. Plus, you will get a ticket to an “All You Can Read” fantasy spread of in-season tools and analysis.

When considering the players that are featured here for Week 7 lineups, also review our staff fantasy football rankings to see where they are ranked in comparison to your alternative starting choices. The analysis is based on Scott’s Week 7 PPR rankings, and we also include tips and reminders on players returning from injuries.

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• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 7

Jordan Mason

He is off the injury report and should be started as usual this week. The Chiefs are the best team in the NFL in terms of Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs, but the 49ers will be looking to exact regular season revenge for the Super Bowl 58 loss. Mason should not be benched as the 49ers will come to play hard in the marquee game of the week.

James Cook is also off the injury report and should be started as always. If the NFL team clears a player for the game, then I clear that player for my fantasy lineup unless there are reports of limitations.

Tank Bigsby

Travis Etienne appears to be trending towards a game-time decision. Bigsby can be a boom-or-bust option, but the matchup is a good one against the Patriots. New England ranks 27^th in FFPG allowed to RBs and the Jacksonville RB has already displayed his upside this season. He is a top 20 RB for Week 7 with Etienne’s status being uncertain at publish time.

Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Devin Singletary is expected to return this week, yet may be eased back into the offensive mix. Tracy has added a new spark to the offense and might stay in the Giants RB picture for the rest of the year. Philadelphia has a reputation for being a strong defensive team against the run. The Eagles actually rank 14^th in rushing yards allowed to RBs, so start Tracy at a flex spot.

Bucky Irving/Sean Tucker

We will have to wait and see if Rachaad White will be available, and if he is, the Tampa Bay backfield will cause a lot of fantasy stress. Todd Bowles said he would go with a “hot hand” approach when all three RBs are active.

Irving has some promise in any matchup, and Tucker is coming off a career game, but Baltimore ranks second in rushing yards allowed to RBs. While we may see a higher-scoring game between Tampa Bay and Baltimore, I won’t recommend using Tucker or White if the latter plays.

Tucker must prove he can build on last week’s outing and White has been a big disappointment so far this year. When both Irving and White were both available to play recently, the rookie was apparently taking over as the lead RB. So I prefer Irving above the other two in any situation for now.

If you deal with a close gameday call between a Tampa Bay RB and another player in line for a solid workload, consider pivoting off the Buccaneers RBs for this week. Irving does look special in terms of making defenders miss, bouncing off tackles, and showing patience as shown in the post below. He is still the one I want of all the Tampa Bay RBs.

Bucky Irving pic.twitter.com/Jdx4dAOHch

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 16, 2024

Tyler Goodson

Jonathan Taylor remains out, and Trey Sermon should start again. But he’s been inefficient on his touches and is averaging 2.5 yards per carry this season. You are essentially hoping for a TD, otherwise Sermon is a bust of a streamer. Goodson is versatile and can produce adequate numbers as a lineup plugger.

Last week, Goodson totaled 65 scrimmage yards on a dozen touches. Miami ranks 30^th in FFPG allowed to RBs. The 23-year-old second-year man is just outside of the top 30 at his position in my Week 7 rankings.

Tyler Allgeier

The Seattle defense is dealing with multiple key injuries while being highly vulnerable to RBs during a three-game losing streak. Allgeier is coming off a 105-yard outing and he is a viable lineup plugger if a quality RB with more guaranteed touches is not available to you this week.

Atlanta has the fourth-best offensive line run-blocking matchup grade on Pro Football Focus for Week 7.

Nick Chubb

This will be his first game of the season, and while Jerome Ford is out, it’s better to take a wait-and-see approach on Chubb for now, since he will be in preseason physical mode. He’s not ranked in my top 40 RBs for Week 7. Cleveland has the third-worst offensive line run-blocking matchup grade on Pro Football Focus for Week 7.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 7

Malik Nabers

He has been cleared to play, so the standout rookie should be locked into lineups again. Through the first four games of the season, Nabers led the NFL in targets and receptions. This additional reminder simply serves as another directive to always play your regular starters when they are no longer on the injury report. Don’t be concerned about lingering issues if none are reported.

Tee Higgins

Just a note for those who have a situation where Higgins is not a certain starter: He has the second-best WR/CB matchup grade on PFF for any WR in Week 7 against the Cleveland corners (92.0/grade of Excellent).

Darnell Mooney

Seattle’s pass defense will be thinned out in a major way this week, as top corners Riq Woolen and Tre Brown will be out, along with safeties Rayshawn Jenkins and Jerick Reed II. I have placed Mooney in fantasy WR2 territory for Week 7. Devon Witherspoon, who is the Seahawks’ best CB, will have to be frequently assigned to Drake London.

Meanwhile, Mooney will be facing backups and possibly elevated practice squad players for much of the time. Two more TD catches will give him a new career high of five in a season, and it would not be surprising to see the Falcons’ downfield threat get to that marker this week. At the very least, I am expecting 100+ receiving yards and one TD catch.

Jameson Williams

The Vikings have built a reputation of having a strong defense this year, yet they allow the most FFPG to WRs. Minnesota can be capable of limiting passing games at times. Detroit, though, presents a formidable challenge to any pass defense, in any game script. Start Williams as a fantasy WR3 this week.

Davante Adams

Adams will be making his Jets debut, in matchup with Pittsburgh, a defense that frightens most fantasy players. The Steelers, however, are not a complete shutdown unit against the pass (10^th in FFPG allowed to WRs), In his eagerness to get the “Green Bay Jets” passing game rolling, Aaron Rodgers will make it a point to get Adams involved often enough for fantasy WR3 consideration.

New York Jets unveil new logo after trading for Davante Adams pic.twitter.com/p4ZVSdpMsE

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) October 15, 2024

The Jets playbook that Adams was handed this week might be very similar to the Packers playbook from 2021. While I am somewhat kidding there, the strong rapport between Adams and Rodgers marks him as a top 30 WR in my Week 7 rankings. I am expecting a TD reception. He is in playing shape and was practicing in full this week.

— theScore (@theScore) October 18, 2024

Tyreek Hill

Indianapolis’ pass defense ranks 26^th in the NFL. Tyler Huntley, however, has not shown he can take advantage of any matchup while dragging Hill’s production down to the point where he was being benched by some fantasy players before Miami’s bye week. Hill is a mid-range fantasy WR3 this week with no floor. If you feel strongly about keeping him reserved, though, I’m not against it.

Demario Douglas

Drake Maye gave the New England passing game a pulse last week and Douglas finished with a career-best 92 receiving yards against Houston. The Jaguars allow the second-most FFPG to WRs, so Douglas is ranked as a top 35 WR.

Xavier Leggette

The rookie has caught two TD passes in the past three games, and a matchup against Washington can always boost the outlook of a WR. Diontae Johnson is banged up and Andy Dalton will move the ball effectively enough against the Commanders. Leggette can be utilized as a streamer with some Week 7 promise. Washington ranks 28^th in FFPG allowed to WRs.

George Pickens

Russell Wilson still throws a good deep ball. I am still not playing Pickens against the Jets. No need for in-depth analysis here, while I simply point out that I don’t have him ranked as a top 40 WR this week.

Quarterbacks and Tight Ends – Fantasy Football Week 7

Kirk Cousins

Noting the major injury issues for the Seattle pass defense above, I am ranking Cousins as my QB7 for this week. I would not start him over regularly locked-in QBs such as Jayden Daniels or Jordan Love, yet Cousins should get the nod in any true tight lineup call. Examples include playing him over Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield.

No Riq Woolen. No Tre Brown. No Stone Forsythe. #Seahawks have challenges at Atlanta Sunday.

Expecting rookie Nehemiah Pritchett to start at CB opp Devon Witherspoon, Coby Bryant as safety the nickel, K’Von Wallace to S in nickel—and the debut of 42-yo Jason Peters at RT pic.twitter.com/LAVgzWCr9x

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) October 18, 2024

Jared Goff

The Lions have the third-best pass-blocking matchup grade for any offensive line on PFF for Week 7. Minnesota’s defense has played well overall, but the Detroit passing game will put points on the board against any opponent, as previously mentioned. Jordan Love did throw four TD passes against the Vikings in Week 6. Goff is ranked as a low-end QB1.

Kyle Pitts

Confirming that I will be employing a Falcons stack in DFS lineups this week. Pitts is my No. 7 TE for Week 7.

Mark Andrews/Isaiah Likely

Baltimore’s offense ranks No. 1 in the NFL and is eighth in passing offense. Tampa Bay ranks 28^th in FFPG allowed to TEs, so start Andrews as a back-end fantasy TE1. Likely is ranked as a higher-end fantasy TE2.

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