Fantasy Football Week 7 Mailbag: Start/Sit Advice, Waiver Wire Options And More
Week 7 of the 2015 NFL season begins Thursday, and fantasy football owners have questions on which players to start and sit, as well as waiver wire advice.
Luckily for you, we’ve got some answers. As always, thanks for submitting questions to our Twitter and Facebook pages for our weekly fantasy football mailbag.
We answered five of them below.
Question (via Twitter): Will Brandon LaFell play Sunday and is he worth a WR2 or flex start?
It’s too early to tell if LaFell will play, but even if he does, I wouldn’t start him if I had safer options. The Patriots probably will work LaFell back into the lineup slowly, so the chances of him receiving a ton of targets should be low. The Jets also have a great defense that includes a talented secondary, so the matchup isn’t in his favor.
That said, LaFell definitely is worth picking up off the waiver wire for future weeks. He’s going to be a key part of the NFL’s highest-scoring offense and his chemistry with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady at the end of last season, especially in the playoffs, was really good.
Question (via Facebook): Should I finally part ways with Peyton Manning?
Yes, the time finally has come. Manning hasn’t thrown for 300 yards in a single game since Week 3, and he’s thrown just two touchdown passes and seven interceptions over the last three games. If you’re in a fantasy league that starts one QB per week, drop or trade Manning and find someone more reliable. He’s no longer an elite fantasy quarterback.
The Broncos would be 3-3 or 4-2 instead of 6-0 if not for their incredible defense. Manning has put them in difficult situations all season, and they’ve bailed him out.
Question (via Twitter): Will Eddie Lacy turn things around?
Lacy owners should be concerned. He didn’t start Sunday’s win over the San Diego Chargers and tallied just three rush yards on four carries. Green Bay Packers backup running back James Starks received 10 carries and totaled 112 rush yards with a touchdown.
It’s possible Lacy isn’t 100 percent recovered from his ankle injury suffered in Week 2, but it didn’t look like he was too bothered by it Sunday. For now, it seems Green Bay will use a two-RB backfield with Lacy and Starks and ride the hot hand, which wouldn’t be good news for Lacy owners. Don’t expect him to be a top 10 fantasy running back for the rest of the season.
Question (via Twitter): OK to drop Karlos Williams now (short bench)?
Go ahead and drop the Buffalo Bills running back if you have a short bench and don’t play in a keeper league. LeSean McCoy is healthy and back in the lineup, and he played well Sunday with 90 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel added 22 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Right now, Williams is the second or third option for the Bills’ rushing attack, and that’s not ideal for an offense that’s been forced to throw often late in games over the last few weeks because they haven’t been leading.
Question (via Facebook): I have Tyler Eifert on a bye week, I need a tight end? Jason Witten, Benjamin Watson, Charles Clay or possibly Jordan Reed?
If you’re looking to acquire one of these players to fill in for Eifert, search your league’s waiver wire for Watson. He caught 10 passes on 12 targets for 127 yards and a touchdown in the New Orleans Saints’ convinvcing win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees should continue to target Watson often because the veteran tight end and second-year receiver Brandin Cooks are his only reliable pass-catchers. Watson also is a good red zone target because of his size, strength and catching ability.
Trading for Witten or Clay is the ideal move, but it wouldn’t be easy to pull off because owners normally are hesitant to part with reliable tight ends.
Thumbnail photo via James Lang/USA TODAY Sports Images
