This is the Fantasy Nerd's look at the best and worst matchups for Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season. Analysis is aggregated from multiple sources including FN. Rankings are based upon PPR (point per reception) scoring. Given the known conditions, these matchups are the ones to watch and/or avoid.
Please Note: This list does not generally include the elite players that you are going to start regardless of matchup. You don't need us to tell you to start Jonathan Taylor, Travis Kelce, or Cooper Kupp. Instead, we take a look at other players on your team that we believe either have great matchups or should be avoided for multiple reasons. Factors like opposing defense, performance trending, and peer comparisons may influence our decisions.
Start 'em Dak Prescott (DAL, QB)Assuming Dak is cleared and ready to go, he couldn't ask for a better matchup since the season opener. The Lions rank near the top in most fantasy points allowed to opposing QBs. Geno Smith racked up 31 points in Week 4 and Carson Wentz brought home 27 points two weeks prior. Great matchup here.
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4th Most Pts to QB
Start 'em Geno Smith (SEA, QB)The Chargers have remained inconsistent on defense and that's something that Geno Smith can take advantage of. While Geno has also been inconsistent (FN grade of "C"), he could bring some much needed production to fantasy owners looking for a great bye-week option.
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12th Most Pts to QB
Start 'em Jimmy Garoppolo (SF, QB)The hope with any game against Kansas City is that the opposing team will have to throw a lot to keep up with their offense. After a month and a half, that's what we've seen as the Chiefs give up 2.5 passing scores per game (most in the NFL) and the second most fantasy points to the position.
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2nd Most Pts to QB
Start 'em Josh Jacobs (LV, RB)Remember all of that contract talk back in August and how Jacobs was going to show the Raiders what he can still do? As a Top-10 fantasy running back, he certainly has, and this is a fantastic matchup. Nobody is giving up more fantasy points to RBs this season than the Texans. Lock him in for a solid day.
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Most pts to RB
Start 'em Rhamondre Stevenson (NE, RB)We put Rhamondre Stevenson in our Start column before and he delivered nicely. Keep him locked into your lineups against a Bears defense regularly giving up big fantasy production to RBs including a whopping 32 points to Aaron Jones back in Week 2.
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8th Most Pts to RB
Start 'em Kenneth Walker (SEA, RB)When given the opportunity to shine, Kenneth Walker has done just that. Averaging 93 yards and a score over his last two games, the rushing volume for Walker is plentiful in Seattle. Nick Chubb, James Robinson, and Dameon Pierce all put up at least 20 fantasy points. Walker is the hot hand right now.
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2nd Most Pts to RB
Start 'em Brandin Cooks (HOU, WR)The one thing that we've been able to count on with Brandin Cooks has been the targets. For a guy who regularly saw double-digit targets each game, it's been disappointing that he hasn't had more than seven in this last three games. We're hoping for a bounce back against the Raiders who have been generous to opposing receivers this year. Consider Cooks a low-end WR2 option this week.
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10th Most Pts to WR
Start 'em Allen Lazard (GB, WR)While Allen Lazard lacks the same kind of boom potential as teammate Romeo Doubs, he is consistently delivering fantasy points each week. In fact, he has scored in all but one game that he's played this year. With Rodgers under center and a nice matchup on deck, Lazard makes for a safe WR2/3.
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6th Most Pts to WR
Start 'em Brandon Aiyuk (SF, WR)Don't count on Brandon Aiyuk pulling in another two-touchdown day, but the matchup here against the Chiefs is too good to not want to have him in your lineup. KC is giving up the 7th-most yards per game to receivers and ranks inside the Top 5 in fantasy points surrendered. He's boom or bust, but if he booms, he can deliver you a W.
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5th Most Pts to WR
Start 'em David Njoku (CLE, TE)David Njoku has been a great fantasy surprise for many owners this year. While the matchup looks pedestrian on paper, tight ends have fared better against the Ravens than you might think. Baltimore has given up an average of 16 fantasy points over the last two weeks to starting tight ends (Hayden Hurst / Daniel Bellinger) and Njoku has the opportunity this week to continue delivering Top 10 results.
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15th Fewest Pts to TE
Start 'em Gerald Everett (LAC, TE)Need a streamer for the bye week? Look no further than Gerald Everett who saw seven targets last week in a tough matchup. Nobody has surrendered more fantasy points to tight ends this season than Seattle including TJ Hockenson's monster 39.9 day back in Week 4.
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Most pts to TE
Start 'em New England Patriots (NE, DEF)What do you get when you take a dominating defense and match it up with an offense struggling to find it's way? You get a fantasy defense that must be started.
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2nd Most Pts to DEF
Start 'em Daniel Carlson (LV, K)Fresh off his bye, Daniel Carlson should be ready to put some points on the board against the Texans who rank inside the Top 5 for most points given up to kickers on the season.
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5th Most Pts to K
Sit 'em Russell Wilson (DEN, QB)A consistent lack of fantasy production coupled with nagging hamstring & shoulder issues makes it difficult to recommend Wilson as a start. The Jets have the ability to bring some pressure and they've largely kept opposing QBs in check.
UPDATE: Russell Wilson has been declared INACTIVE.
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11th Fewest Pts to QB
Sit 'em Justin Fields (CHI, QB)With the exception of Lamar Jackson in Week 5, the Patriots haven't allowed a QB to score more than 16 fantasy points this season. Justin Fields has been able to deliver some points with his feet, but New England's defense is a different animal. Look for them to lock down Fields and force him to throw it. He's averaging just 144 passing yards per game.
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14th Most Pts to QB
Sit 'em Jared Goff (DET, QB)After a disappointing Week 5 against the Patriots where he put up just 5.9 points, Goff is now fresh off his bye week. We wouldn't rush to start him against the Cowboys though. Nobody has been able to put up more than 17 points against them all year.
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8th Fewest Pts to QB
Sit 'em Antonio Gibson (WAS, RB)It's difficult to get excited about Antonio Gibson with Brian Robinson in the mix. Gibson has seen his rushing attempts drop significantly. He's averaging just four carries over his last two games and hasn't produced double-digits since Week 3. Even in a decent matchup, there's not enough work for Gibson to remain a starter for your team.
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13th Most Pts to RB
Sit 'em Michael Carter (NYJ, RB)While the Broncos defensive front remains solid, they have given up back to back weeks of big production. Unfortunately for Michael Carter, those big days only materialized for guys carrying the workloads for their teams (Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler). Carter has been consistently losing work to Breece Hall and volume is the name of the game in this one.
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16th Fewest Pts to RB
Sit 'em Melvin Gordon (DEN, RB)Melvin Gordon is the starter for Denver though you wouldn't have known it by watching Latavius Murray out-touching him last week. For Gordon to be fantasy relevant this week, he'll need to see more than his three carries from Week 6. He's projected to carry the rock nine times in this one which still may not be enough to consider him anything but a flex option.
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11th Fewest Pts to RB
Sit 'em D.J. Moore (CAR, WR)It has not been pretty in Carolina this year. Whether it was Baker Mayfield or PJ Walker under center, D.J. Moore has not produced what we all thought he would this year. He's currently the 53rd best fantasy WR. Even though Robbie Anderson has been traded away, Moore's usage in this offense coupled with a brutal matchup against the Bucs leaves him as nothing more than a flex play.
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15th Fewest Pts to WR
Sit 'em Devin Duvernay (BAL, WR)With Rashod Bateman inactive last week, it was Devin Duvernay's time to shine. Unfortunately, he was only able to haul in one of his five targets for a disappointing fantasy day. With Bateman returning this week, it's not clear that Duvernay will have enough opportunity to make him fantasy relevant.
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13th Most Pts to WR
Sit 'em Garrett Wilson (NYJ, WR)Garrett Wilson was a popular waiver wire target after posting 30 fantasy points back in Week 2. He's dropped off significantly and wasn't much of a factor in last week's game. The Jets offense seemed to be more productive with Joe Flacco, but it will be Zach Wilson under center for this one. Couple the fact that the Denver defense has allowed the third fewest fantasy points and we're ready to sit Wilson again.
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3rd Fewest Pts to WR
Sit 'em Mike Gesicki (MIA, TE)Mike Gesicki is fresh off his biggest game of the season, but where we might look for momentum, we're not confident in Geskicki's ability to pull off a repeat..at least not in this offense. The Steelers have quietly kept tight ends in check surrendering the ninth-fewest fantasy points to them on the year. Don't go chasing points in this one.
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9th Fewest Pts to TE
Sit 'em Dalton Schultz (DAL, TE)With Dak Prescott potentially under center, it would be nice for Dalton Schultz to take advantage of this matchup. He missed last week with a knee injury and that has us concerned. He's averaging just 3.8 fantasy points this season. If he's healthy and can get back into rhythm with Prescott, he's a viable streamer if you can take the risk.
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7th Most Pts to TE
Sit 'em San Francisco 49ers (SF, DEF)Normally we wouldn't question starting the San Francisco defense, but a matchup with the Chiefs is too much to ask for any defense. They can pressure Mahomes all day, but he's capable of getting out of the pocket and moving the chains.
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Feweset Pts to DEF
Sit 'em Graham Gano (NYG, K)After putting up 32 fantasy points in his first three games, Graham Gano has only put up single digits in his last three games. Jacksonville has only allowed one kicker to put up more than 10 fantasy points this season.
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2nd Fewest Pts to K
