*FAN SUBMISSION by J.T. Phillips of Santa Barbara, CA. Follow him on Twitter @_CaptainJT.*
To win in fantasy football on Sundays you have to make the tough decisions early in the week. Here are 14 players for week 7 that will improve your team and move you one step closer to that elusive championship.
QB:
Courtesy: USA Today
Carson Palmer – Arizona
In Carson Palmer’s first game back he was able to pick up right where he left off. Other than a few shaky deep balls that lacked his traditional zip, he was very effective and both Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd had their first touchdowns of 2014. Over the next 4 weeks Palmer has an extremely favorable schedule and should rank as a QB1 (@OAK, PHI, @DAL, STL).
Last week: Washington 28/44 – 250 yards – 2 TD – 0 INT
Next game: @ Oakland
WR:
Odell Beckham JR – New York Giants
Beckham has phenomenal speed and was drafted #12 overall to be a game changer. He is still trying to get adjusted to the NFL and has only played 2 games after sitting out with a hamstring injury. He was on the field in all 3 WR sets, and will find himself thrust into an every down role now that Cruz is out for the season. Beckham should be a boom or bust WR3 with extremely high upside potential for the rest of the season.
Last week: 4 targets – 2 receptions – 28 yards
Next game: @ Dallas
Brandon LaFell – New England Patriots
Tom Brady needs a WR to step up and it could be Brandon LaFell. In the last 3 weeks he has had 2 big games (6-119-1 and 4-97-2) sandwiched around a 1-20 debacle against Cincinnati. LaFell is an average player, but Brady makes everyone around him better and is beginning to trust him. Take heed though, he is a risky option and only received 6 targets this last week. He is also the number 3 receiving option behind Gronkowski and Edelman (maybe even 4th behind Tim Wright).
Last week: 6 targets – 4 receptions – 97 yards – 2 TDS
Next game: New York Jets (Thursday)
Courtesy: USA Today
Cecil Shorts III – Jacksonville Jaguars
Anytime you can grab the top receiver on a team that will throw a lot you do it. The quarterback play will have its ups and downs but Shorts will still get his looks. This week he was targeted 16 times… 16!!! You can safely count on 10+ targets when Shorts is healthy.
Last week: @ Tennessee – 10 receptions for 103 yards (16 targets)
Next game: Cleveland
Malcom Floyd – San Diego Chargers
Malcom Floyd has found success as defenses key in on Keenan Allen. Floyd has always had a strong rapport with Rivers and can be counted on to for several deep targets every week. Injuries are always a concern when it comes to Floyd, but as long as he is healthy he will be a big part of this offense.
Last week: @ Oakland – 5 receptions for 103 yards – 1 TD (7 targets)
Next game: Kansas City
RB:
Jerick McKinnon – Minnesota Vikings
The calls for McKinnon to get his shot were finally answered and he did not disappoint. McKinnon out-touched Matt Asiata 17-3 and will be the player to own for the rest of the season (don’t count on Adrian Peterson playing again in 2014). He should be the #1 waiver wire add in every league.
Last week: Detroit – 11 for 40 yards (3.6) – 6 receptions for 42 yards (6 targets)
Next game: @ Buffalo
Ronnie Hillman – Denver Broncos
Originally Hillman was not included on this list but was added when I was SHOCKED to discover that he was only 5% owned on Sundaymorning. He is the starter in Denver and it is his role to lose. The only thing keeping him from being the starter for the rest of the season is a tendency to fumble. If he holds onto the ball, he will hold onto the starting job in Denver. The starting RB in the Denver offense is likely a RB1 (see Knowshon Moreno), so pick up Hillman.
Last week: @ New York Jets – 24 for 100 yards – 3 receptions for 16 yards (5 targets)
Next game: San Francisco
Courtesy: USA Today
Jeremy Hill – Cincinnati Bengals
If he is out there grab him as fast as you can. Gio Bernard was injured in Sunday’s game (AC joint sprain?). Gio did return to the game, but this is still something that should be monitored through the week. Hill is very talented, is averaging 7 carries a game, has 9 receptions, and will have weekly value even with a fully healthy Bernard.
Last week: Carolina – 8 for 22 yards – 1 TD – 4 receptions for 13 yards (4 targets)
Next game: @ Indianapolis
Juwan Thompson – Denver Broncos
Montee Ball is out and may not get the starting role back when he returns. Ronnie Hillman was the lead back against the Jets and carried the ball 24 times for 100 yards, but he has had opportunities before and has always fumbled them away (pun intended). He fumbled on Sunday and was fortunate that it was recovered by the Broncos. Thompson was the surprise #2 and will have the opportunity if Hillman struggles.
Last week: @ NYJ – 8 for 38 yards – 1 reception for 0 yards (1 target)
Next game: San Francisco
New England RB
Brandon Bolden or James White… can you trust New England? Ridley is out and someone will get the ball. Vereen should have gotten the carries, but ended the day with only 5. If you are desperate then take a shot with one of these 2 backs. Most likely you will just end up disappointed though… Brandon Bolden is a key member of the special teams and this might put James White ahead of him.
Last week: @ Buffalo – Bolden (6 carries for 10 yards)
Next game: New York Jets (Thursday)
TE:
Scott Chandler – Buffalo Bills
Every time you looked up at this game it seemed that Chandler was making another play on Sunday. He is a big body that is hard to cover and looks to be finding some cohesion with Kyle Orton. If Orton locks in on him he could have good value for the rest of the season. I wouldn’t count on Orton throwing the ball 38 times every week, but if you are looking for a Graham replacement you could do worse than Chandler.
Last week: New England – 6 receptions for 105 yards (9 targets)
Next game: Minnesota
Courtesy: Zimbio
Jace Amaro – New York Jets
Jace exploded onto Sunday against Denver and I do not think it was a fluke. He will definitely struggle due to poor quarterback play at times, but he has all the talent to become a top tight end. Geno Smith said “we don’t like to talk about the other side, but when I think about Jace, I think about Gronk”. Big words from his quarterback. He only played 55% of the snaps on Sunday and that number should rise.
Last week: Denver – 10 receptions for 68 yards – 1 TD (12 targets)
Next game: @ New England (Thursday)
Tim Wright-New England Patriots
When New England traded for Tim Wright many people thought he would revive the Aaron Hernandez role. So far those fans have been disappointed but I would expect to see more of Tim Wright as the season progresses. This last week he only played 22% of the snaps and caught his only target (for a touchdown). On the season he has caught 91% (10 of 11) of the passes thrown to him and those numbers will demand that he becomes more involved in the offense.
Last week: @ Buffalo – 1 reception for 1 yard – 1 TD (1 target)
Next game: New York Jets (Thursday)
DST:
Cleveland Browns
Coming off a strong game against Pittsburgh, the Cleveland DST is poised to be the top defense for the next 3 weeks. Their next 3 opponents, at Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay, have a combined record of 1-16.
Last week: Pittsburgh – 2 sacks – 1 INT – 10 points surrendered
Next game: @ Jacksonville
Droppable:
Kirk Cousins – QB – WAS: He is proving to be a gunslinger playing behind a woeful offensive line. He will have just as many great plays as awful ones.
Victor Cruz – WR – NYG : Will miss the rest of the season.
Keenan Allen – WR – SD: Has had 1 good game all season. SD is committed to the run and Allen is more often a decoy then a target.
Matt Asiata – RB – MINN: He is only the handcuff to Jerick McKinnon.
Steven Ridley – RB – NE: Injured.
Larry Donnell – TE – NYG: Last 2 weeks: 3 targets – 1 reception for 6 yards. He may get a bump with the loss of Cruz, but he is boom/bust and is in pass protection too often.
