Welcome back to ProFootballinsight.net’s Start Em or Sit Em. If this is your first time checking in with ProFootballinsight, you missed out last week on Cedric Benson and a TD performance and Maurice Jones-Drew with 133 yards and 3 TD’s. If you missed last week, you may have started under performing Brandon Jacobs who only had 33 yards, or any offensive Cleveland Browns, none of which reached double digits in fantasy points and Philip Rivers, who did not play to his own standards he sets weekly as he only had 274 yards, 1 TD and 3 fumbles!

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I as well as everyone else missed the boat completely on Matt Hasselbeck last week.  Coming off an amazing performance by his standards in Week 5, the Fantasy world was sure that he would have a great week against the Arizona Cardinals…  Wrong.  Hasselbeck turned in a dismal 111 yard, 1 interception and 1 fumble performance, OUCH.

Let’s move on to Week 7.

My top performer for Week 7 is DeAngelo Williams-RB-Carolina Panthers.  I love Williams coming off a great Week 6 to face the staggering rush defense of the Buffalo Bills.  The Panthers can’t get it done through the air, and their strength is their ground game, so I see no reason to not think that DeAngelo is set for back to back epic fantasy weeks.

Start Em’s

QB-  Donovan McNabb-Philadelphia Eagles.  Most people would think that my saying start McNabb is an obvious choice.  Last week McNabb had only 269 yards passing.  No TD’s, no rushing yardage points, nothing, and that was against the Raiders!  This week Donovan has a divisional game versus Washington on Monday night.  Fantasy websites and Fantasy information boards are expecting a similar performance from McNabb this week, which I do not see.  McNabb rarely has a bad game by fantasy standards and follows it up with a second.  McNabb will have an extra day of preparation and will produce.

RB-  Larry Johnson-Kansas City Chiefs.  Winning does wonders for the soul, and your running back getting 26 touches helps as well.  Johnson has not found pay dirt yet this year, but his TD is coming soon.  Johnson is playing San Diego, who limited Denver running back’s last week to lousy fantasy numbers.  Keep in mind that this is a divisional game, and Kansas City will try to control the tempo by utilizing the ground game.  Larry scores this week!

WR-  Steve Smith-New York Giants.  Coming off of two poor fantasy performances after his explosive week 4 versus Kansas City, I look for Smith to get back on track.  Since the KC game, Smith was anointed the “#1 receiver” title, and has drawn the double coverage that comes with it.  I look for Smith and the Giants offense to get back on their fantasy horse against Arizona.

TE- Visanthe Shiancoe-Minnesota Vikings.  Shiancoe has had TD’s in his last 3 games, 4 out of 6 games on the season with 5 TD’s total.  Farve has always looked to his tight end’s over his playing career, and facing Pittsburgh this week, Farve will look again to Shiancoe in the red zone.

D-  This week I like quite a few, some due to match ups, others because of the quality of the defense.  Week 7 “D” starts are the Packers, Colts, Eagles, Jets and Patriots.

Sit Em’s

QB- Mark Sanchez-New York Jets.  Again, winning heals the soul, and the Raiders inspired performance last week as they bottled Donovan McNabb up, leading to a huge upset victory will motivate the Raiders defense even more.  This in conjunction with Sanchez coming off of a 5 pick, 1 fumble performance does not fair well for young Sanchez.  As a fan, it will be interesting to see where Sanchez’s confidence is after a performance like that.  As a fantasy owner, I want to watch his performance with him on my bench.

RB- Matt Forte-Chicago Bears.  Forte has two good fantasy football weeks on the year, and they were posted against poor defenses.  The Bengals defense is not the same old Bengals D, and quietly has improved their run defense.  I expect Chicago to hurt them through the air, not on the ground.

WR- Any receivers on the Browns, Bills or Raiders.  Look at their performances over the last 3 weeks.  These offenses struggle to get their receivers involved in the game.  Until that changes, make them pine riders!

TE- Brent Celek-Philadelphia Eagles.  A fantasy tight end god when Kolb is the Eagles quarterback, not McNabb.  The only time McNabb looks to his tight ends are in 3 tight end sets, when there are no receivers on the field.  As a side note, I do not like Kellen Winslow in London this week either.  No QB, long trip, and oh yeah, the Patriots.

D-  I look for these defenses to have extremely long days this weekend.  Avoid the Browns, Texans, Cowboys, Cardinals, Steelers, Chiefs, Rams, Bucs and Dolphins.

Don’t forget, this week the Ravens, Seahawks, Jaguars, Titans, Lions and Broncos are on Bye’s.

Need Sleepers and Waiver Wire Steals, Check out ProFootballinsight’s Week 7 Fantasy Football Sleepers and Waiver Wire Steals!

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If you have any questions, we will resond.  Leave them in the comments section and you will be answered.

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight

Kurt@ProFootballinsight.net