Each and every week, fantasy managers are presented with a series of decisions that can win and lose matchups.
What players should be targeted on waivers? What players can be dropped? But the most important question on a weekly basis is which players to start and which players to sit.
Based on the depth of your roster, you may have to make some difficult decisions and bench some of your favorite players. Benching players can be tough, but you need to keep these players out of your lineup in Week 7.
KIRK COUSINS, QB MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Vs. San Fransisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. Eastern (Monday Night Football)
Kirk Cousins started the season slinging the ball all over the field, connecting with his top receiver, Justin Jefferson, for 150 yards in three consecutive games. Unfortunately, Jefferson left their Week 5 matchup against the Chiefs with a hamstring injury that placed him on injured reserve.
Week 6 was our first look at Cousins and the Minnesota offense without Jefferson. Let’s just say that Jefferson’s presence on the field is crucial to this team’s success. Cousins was held to 181 yards and one touchdown in a 19 to 13 victory over the Bears.
It’s expected that this offense will take some time to adjust to life without Justin Jefferson. However, Cousins’ performance last Sunday was nothing short of concerning. Cousins had a season-low 8.7 fantasy points against the Bears. Every quarterback has bad starts. When it comes to Cousins, this performance is concerning because Chicago is 29th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.
Cousins now moves on to San Francisco, the 4th best team in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. The 49ers allow just 215 passing yards per game and have made it very difficult for opposing quarterbacks to find success.
Cousins is no more than a bye week fill-in while Jefferson is off the field. In a matchup with one of the NFL’s most ferocious defenses, Cousins should be on the bench in just about every league.
ZACK MOSS, RB INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. Eastern
In the absence of Jonathan Taylor, Zack Moss has been nothing short of spectacular for the Colts. Even with Taylor on the field in Weeks 5 and 6, Moss has been great, delivering RB2 and RB8 performances.
Unfortunately for those who have been riding Moss to start the season, Taylor is coming for his job. The Colts have been ramping up Taylor in his first two games.
Moss has been too productive for him to just vanish, but expect the trend of Taylor’s increasing usage to continue.
Aside from being pushed out by Taylor, Moss also has to deal with a brutal matchup on Sunday.
The Colts host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and friends have wreaked havoc on just about every defense they’ve faced this season. Cleveland has the league’s 3rd best rushing defense, allowing 79 yards per game on the ground.
The Browns also will not have to deal with the threat that is Anthony Richardson. With Gardner Minshew under center, Browns’ defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will be able to focus on shutting down Taylor and Moss without worrying about the quarterback burning them.
The game has a total set at 40.5 points. Expect a slow game that is driven by defense, field position, and forcing turnovers. Given the matchup, game environment, and reduced usage, Zack Moss has to remain on the bench this week.
GEORGE PICKENS, WR PITTSBURGH STEELERS
At Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. Eastern
Like Zack Moss, George Pickens has been heavily benefitting from an injury to a teammate. To the joy of Steelers fans and the chagrin of those who own Pickens, Diontae Johnson is back.
Someone that I have covered as a trade target, Johnson is one of the league’s most talented route runners and receivers in general. He consistently commands targets due to his elite ability to get open. Considering Johnson has been practicing in full this week, expect him to have no limitations in Week 7.
In the absence of Johnson, Pickens has thrived. In four games that Johnson missed (Weeks 2 to 5), Pickens was the WR15 and finished as a WR1 in half of those games. However, Pickens has not performed anywhere near this level with Johnson on the field.
With Johnson on the field and a tough matchup against the Rams (4th in fantasy points allowed to WRs), Pickens should see the bench in Week 7.
SAQUON BARKLEY, RB NEW YORK GIANTS
Vs. Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. Eastern
Let’s get one note out of the way first. I understand that it will be almost impossible to bench Saquon Barkley for most managers. But if you have decent running back depth, strongly consider making a lineup change.
Week 6 against Buffalo was Barkley’s first return to action following an injury late in Week 2. Overall, Barkley did not exactly impress. The vast majority of Barkley’s touches were held to short games, but a few breakaway runs in the second half saved his day. The data backs up the eye test, Barkley was stuffed on 58.3 percent of attempts and averaged just .38 yards before contact. While this may be due to Barkley not being fully healthy, this is most likely a symptom of the Giants’ ailing offensive line.
With this level of offensive line play, it will be difficult for the Giants to get anything done on offense. Quarterback Daniel Jones is also officially questionable for Week 7 with a neck injury. New York is set up to have a miserable day on offense.
Washington is an average to favorable matchup for Barkley. However, when considering the state of the Giants’ offense, it becomes difficult to envision a path to fantasy success for Barkley. It may sound insane, but the Giants’ offense may be in rough enough shape to bench Saquon Barkley.
DJ MOORE, WR CHICAGO BEARS
Vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1 p.m. Eastern
There are really only two words that are required to make this argument: Tyson Bagent. If this name is foreign to you, don’t feel bad. Bagent is Chicago’s undrafted rookie quarterback from Shepherd College. Oh, you’ve never heard of Shepherd College either? It’s a Division II school in West Virginia.
I know this isn’t “real analysis” but come on, this guy’s last game was a loss to the Colorado School of Mines and now he’s going to try to lead an NFL team.
This game is likely going to be an offensive disaster and I would avoid starting Chicago players at all costs.
DJ Moore has already been outperforming expectations. According to Fantasy Points Data Suite, Moore ranks 45th in expected fantasy points per game but ranks 11th in actual fantasy points per game. Moore will likely regress in general. But with Bagent under center, it will be incredibly difficult for Moore to exceed expectations.
We will have to wait until Sunday to see how Chicago looks in the Tyson Bagent era. However, expect this offense to be a dumpster fire. Moore, along with other Bears players, should be out of lineups this week and likely until Fields returns.
