Week 7 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Smartest Matchups to Exploit, Sleeper Plays and More

Another wacky week of NFL action is in the books, and as we head into Week 7, it's getting harder to tell which teams are actually good and which are not.

Things have been a little easier to predict in fantasy, though injuries and bye weeks have regularly taken away top options. Caleb Williams made his return in Week 6, but Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley, and Tyler Warren were among the top stars out with injuries.

In Week 7, the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, and Washington Commanders will be on bye.

Managers will likely need to rely on at least a few second-tier stars this week. Here, you'll find some early start/sit recommendations, along with a few potential waiver-wire targets to consider for point-per-reception (PPR) scoring leagues.

Start: Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and part of the problem was that they couldn't sustain their ground game when trying to bleed the clock.

Starting back Bucky Irving was held to just 46 yards on 19 carries, a stat line that undoubtedly disappointed fantasy managers. He wasn't heavily involved in the passing game either and finished with just two catches for three yards.

While managers will want to flush Irving's Week 6 performance, they should be able to trust him in Week 7. Tampa will host the rival Carolina Panthers in a pivotal game that should heavily feature Irving in the offensive game plan.

The Panthers rank dead-last in yards per carry allowed and have surrendered an average of 29.1 fantasy points to opposing backfields.

Sit: MarShawn Lloyd, RB, Green Bay Packers

Two weeks ago, MarShawn Lloyd had a strong outing against the Chicago Bears, finishing with 16.7 fantasy points. Most thought he would shine against a bad Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 6, but he did not.

Lloyd briefly left the game after taking a big hit but was a bit player from the onset. He finished with eight carries for just 10 yards and no receptions.

Now, there's a chance that Josh Jacobs will return to the Green Bay Packers' backfield, as he's been removed from the commissioner's exempt list. Even if Jacobs isn't in the lineup, it's impossible to trust Lloyd with Pierre Strong, Savion Williams, and Kaleb Johnson getting opportunities.

It'll be a tough matchup for Packers backs anyway, as the Detroit Lions have surrendered an average of just 16.8 fantasy points to opposing backfields.

Start: DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

It appears that the Philadelphia Eagles will be without Hurts for the remainder of the season, as he has been diagnosed with blood clots in both lungs, according to The Athletic . This means that the Eagles are likely to rely on quarterback Tanner McKee for the foreseeable future.

McKee wasn't great in Philly's Week 6 loss to the Panthers. However, he did find receiver DeVonta Smith early and often. In Smith's return from a hamstring injury, he caught seven passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Managers should be able to rely on Smith, even with McKee behind center. He's the focal point of the passing attack, and he has a terrific matchup against the Cowboys this week.

Dallas has surrendered an average of 36.3 fantasy points to opposing receiver groups this season.

Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings for Top Players and Matchups for All Positions

Best Week 7 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

Sit: Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs were without Rashee Rice in Week 6 due to a hamstring injury. With Rice out, Xavier Worthy was the clear-cut top perimeter target, and he finished with a respectable seven catches for 73 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, Rice's injury isn't expected to be a long-term issue, and Worthy hasn't been a steady fantasy producer. While he's reached double-digit fantasy points in three of five outings, he's also delivered fewer than five points twice.

Worthy also has a fairly limited ceiling, even in PPR leagues, as he has yet to reach 15 fantasy points in a game.

This week, the Chiefs will battle a stingy Seattle Seahawks defense on the road. Seattle has surrendered an average of just 21.7 fantasy points to opposing receiver groups this season.

Additional Week 7 Sleepers and Waiver-Wire Targets

Here's a look at some other viable sleeper plays and waiver targets, along with their Week 7 matchups:

C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (vs. NYG)

Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns (at TEN)

Roschon Johnson, RB, Chicago Bears (vs. NE)

Jawhar Johnson, RB, Houston Texans (vs. NYG)

Germie Bernard, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (at NO)

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns (at TEN)

Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. LAR)

Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams (at LV)

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings (vs. IND)

*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros .