Fantasy Football Start/Sit/Sleeper Picks - Week 7

It's that time of week again! We give you our must start players who aren't guaranteed starters each week, we give you players to sit this week no matter what, and we give you our sleeper/waiver wire picks. Those "Crane Men" are such big pickups this week that you need a crane to pick them up off of waivers! This week, all of a sudden you see Cowboys players going from the sit column to the start column.

With all of the bye weeks (Kansas City, Atlanta, San Diego, Miami, Philadelphia, Denver), you need some fantasy bench warmers and waiver picks to come in the clutch in your lineup. Let us answer your individual questions! Comment on this post, send us an email at 360sportsnetwork@gmail.com, write on our Facebook wall, or send us a tweet @3SNetwork. Many ways to talk with us, so pick one and let us make your fantasy team sizzle!

Week 7 Fantasy Football Picks

Quarterback:

	Start ‘em	Sit ‘em	Sleeper Pick
Value Man:	Matthew Stafford (at CHI) – Chicago’s defense with 13 INTs and only 5 TDs is terrifying, but look at the opponents: Andrew Luck (first NFL game), Aaron Rodgers (not needing to throw), Sam Bradford, Tony Romo (needing to force the ball), Blaine Gabbert. Stafford will need to throw, and he is ten times better than the other QBs on this list. Start him with confidence.	Jay Cutler (vs. DET) – Don’t let this Detroit matchup fool you…Detroit actually is alright against the pass this year. They shut Ponder down completely. Cutler folds under the big lights of Monday Night.	Carson Palmer (vs. JAC) – The Jags will put everything into stopping Run-DMC. That will leave the downfield matchups open for Palmer to pick apart. Expect a big game from Palmer, Denarius Moore, and Brandon Myers as a result.
The Saint:	Eli Manning (vs. WAS) – Great matchup with the Redskins. Don’t even think about anybody else. WAS has allowed 14 TDs through the air this year.	Joe Flacco (at HOU) – He has thrown for multiple TDs in only one of his last eight away games. Not to mention he’s playing Houston.	Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. TEN) – Tennessee’s defense is terrible. They allow over 20 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. Even if he throws INTs, he will still match that number with TDs.
Mad Scientist:	Carson Palmer (vs.  JAC) – Expect the Jaguars to stack the box against McFadden, allowing long bombs to Heyward-Bey and Moore.	Christian Ponder (vs.  ARI) and Alex Smith (vs. SEA) – Two less-than-stellar QBs coming off of two sub-par performances facing two top-notch defenses this week.	Josh Freeman (vs. NO) – 328 pass yards and 3 TDs last week, now facing the Saints.
TheLostCause:	Tony Romo (at CAR) – You have to wonder if they will throw more this week with DeMarco Murray out. Even when Murray does play, the Cowboys throw too much.	Joe Flacco (at HOU) – He’s thrown for only 2 TDs in the past three weeks. Even worse, he has 2 INTs in that time. He hasn’t eclipsed 235 pass yards in the last two weeks. He’s just declining right now, and facing Houston won’t help.	Josh Freeman (vs. NO) – Coach Schiano is letting the Bucs air it out a bit more, and Freeman, Williams, and Jackson are reaping the rewards. That won’t change against New Orleans.

Running Back:

	Start ‘em	Sit ‘em	Sleeper Pick
Value Man:	Felix Jones (at CAR) – Everybody else will call him a sleeper, I call him an immediate starter. Jerry Jones loves this guy too much, and now that he’s the only one getting carries he’s up to elite status. Don’t even think twice about it. Heck, he had 90 yards and a TD last week as a backup, so you know that the Cowboys are back committed to the run game!	Shonn Greene (at NE) – You had Greene on your bench last week when he got 161 yards and 3 TDs. You’re angry and immediately want to put him back in your lineup. Don’t do it. NE at home, giving up only 82 yards on the ground per game. Greene saved his spot on your roster, but he’s not starter material this week.	Baron Batch (at CIN) – Mendenhall and Redman are most likely out. Baron Batch will take over against a Bengals team who has allowed the second-most TDs on the ground this year. It’s a BIG sleeper pick, but hey he reached the end zone last week, why not again? Check on all PIT RB status on Sunday!
The Saint:	Chris Johnson (at BUF) – It might sound risky, but believe it or not, CJ2K has scored double-digits in two of his last three games. It pains me to say it, but Wannstedt’s defense is just terrible. They’ve allowed 8 TDs to RBs this year, meaning Chris Johnson is a good bet to (finally) reach pay dirt.	Steven Jackson (vs. GB) – Back-to-back weeks I say to sit S-Jax. He’s sharing time, has a tough matchup against a fired up Packers team, and he’s ranked 28th in RBs this year. Forget about him.	Felix Jones (at CAR) – DeMarco Murray is out. Carolina allows the fifth most points to opposing RBs this year. Not much more to say.
Mad Scientist:	Stevan Ridley  (vs. NYJ) – Second week in a row I’m taking Ridley as my guy to start. He burned me last week, but I expect a huge bounce back week against a porous run defense.	Frank Gore  (vs. SEA) – Just look at what Seattle did to New England’s backs last week…	Felix Jones (at CAR) – Felix is just an all-around factor and is worthy of playing when he’s the only guy touching the ball.
TheLostCause:	Darren McFadden (vs. JAC) – Well, Arian Foster was too obvious of a choice, so we’ll talk about DMC. No, we’ll just say that the Jaguar defense has given up 163 yards on the ground each week. 7 TDs in 5 weeks. Run-DMC.	Frank Gore (vs. SEA) – Don’t even talk about the Seattle defense shutting down NE on the ground last week, how about that Gore had 56 total yards against NYG a week ago. Give him a week to see how he responds, ESPECIALLY with the matchup.	Alex Green (at STL) – Don’t give up on Green quite yet. He had a quiet week 6, but that’s because Rodgers exploded with a Discount Sextuple last week.

Wide Receiver:

	Start ‘em	Sit ‘em	Sleeper Pick
Value Man:	Dez Bryant (at CAR) – He gets the attention of the media with his “security” and for his dropped passes that lead to INTs. But guess what, a drop-to-interception doesn’t cost you fantasy points! Even with the scrutiny of the past two weeks, he’s put up double digit weeks (105 yards in week 5, 95 yards and 2 TDs in week 7). He’s averaging 10.5 catches over those two games.	Steve Smith (vs. DAL) – Dallas Cowboy DBs are amongst the best in the league. You don’t beat Dallas by throwing the ball. Carolina knows this, which is why you might see Newton with more rush attempts than completions this week.	Kendall Wright (at BUF) – Especially in PPR formats, Wright is a must have.  He has 15 catches in the past two weeks, averaging 70 yards per game. He had a TD in week 4 as well, and now plays Buffalo’s pass defense that allows 250 pass yards per game and trails only WAS, CLE, SD, and NE in pass TDs allowed.
The Saint:	Reggie Wayne (vs. CLE) – Browns have given up the second most fantasy points to WRs this season, and Wayne is on fire right now.	Antonio Brown (at CIN) – Roethlisberger has not thrown for more than one TD against the Bengals since 2008.	Denarius Moore (vs. JAC) – The Jaguars give up 25+ fantasy points to WRs on the road.
Mad Scientist:	Hakeem Nicks (vs. WAS) – Welcome back to health, Mr. Nicks. He will jump straight back into the swing of things against a terrible Redskins secondary. Don’t be afraid to start him.	James Jones (at STL) – I’m not so sold on Jones as some of my other 3SN comrades are.  Jones has 2 TDs in each of his last three games, but averages 4 catches for 45 yards in those games. If he doesn’t reach pay dirt it’s a bad play. The Rams have allowed only 4 passing TDs this year. Sit him.	Denarius Moore (vs. JAC) – This guy is racking up the yardage! He’s averaging just under 90 yards per game the past two weeks. He’s getting open deep and Palmer is finding him. That won’t change against the Jaguars.
TheLostCause:	Denarius Moore (vs. JAC) – He’s back and healthy and already creating a great connection with Carson Palmer. Oakland will continue to throw the ball early and often.	Brandon Lloyd (vs. NYJ) – It’s all about Wes Welker up in New England. Plus, the Jets even without Revis are shutting down the big guys. It’s the underneath game that matters.	Mike Williams (vs. NO) – He had 4 catches for 115 yards in week four, 4 catches for 113 yards and a TD in week six, with a bye week in between. Talk about consistency, and now getting to face the Saints secondary!

Tight End:

	Start ‘em	Sit ‘em	Sleeper Pick
Value Man:	Jason Witten (at CAR) – I really like Witten going forward the rest of this season. He’s averaging 9 catches for 100 yards over the last two games, with one TD in that span as well. He’s always where Romo looks to throw the ball. Why wouldn’t you play him?	Greg Olsen (vs. DAL) – Playing against the best pass defense in the league, playing with the QB who has thrown for the third fewest yards in the NFC. You do the math.	Jermaine Gresham (vs. PIT) – The Steelers defense isn’t as great as the numbers look. Especially if Polamalu is out, look for Gresham to work the middle of the field against LBs who just aren’t as athletic as him. No LB is as athletic as Gresham is.
The Saint:	Heath Miller (at CIN) – The Bengals have allowed 8 fantasy points per game to opposing TEs this year. Pittsburgh gets Miller the ball, especially on screens. He’ll get his points.	Jermichael Finley (at STL) – STL doesn’t allow points to TEs. In fact, only six teams have allowed fewer than the Rams have this year.	Martellus Bennett (at WAS) – He started strong, has fallen off of the table recently. But against WAS you must look at him. The ‘Skins have allowed the second-most points to opposing TEs this year.
Mad Scientist:	Martellus Bennett (at WAS) – Here comes the Bennett we saw at the beginning of the year…it helps when playing the terrible Washington defense.	Fred Davis (vs. NYG) – I said start him last week, I say sit him this week. Giants fare well against the TE and RGIII just doesn’t look his way enough.	Scott Chandler (vs. TEN) – This pass defense is too poor NOT to play Chandler…if your TE is on a bye.
TheLostCause:	Owen Daniels (vs. BAL) – Play him until his bye week, he gets injured, or until you reach your championship game.	Dennis Pitta (at HOU) – Last week was a fluke for the Houston defense and Flacco hasn’t looked good away from home this year.	Tom Crabtree (at STL) – 62 yards and a TD last week, especially with Finley looking poor in the passing game, Crabtree has a chance to take over.