The Perfect Lineup: Week 7's FantasyScore Team
Struggling to find players to start while your stars are on bye in your season long fantasy football league? Well, at FantasyScore.com, you don't have to fight the waiver wire to find value -- you just pick your favorite players every week while playing weekly fantasy football for cash prizes.
If you've never played before and aren't sure who to pick, our fancy algorithms have you covered for Week 7. Take a look at this week's FantasyScore Perfect Lineup.
Quarterback
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
After an unexpectedly slow start to the season, the Colts' star quarterback is coming off of his best game of the season, throwing for 312 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Patriots in Week 6. Luck also added 35 yards on the ground and avoided throwing an interception for the first time all year. This week, the former number-one overall pick draws a matchup against a Saints' defense who rank 29th in the NFL in our schedule-adjusted Defensive Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) metric, having allowed the third most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks on the year. Luck is our top overall projected quarterback on the board, but is just the fifth most expensive player at the position with a $7,900 price tag.
Running Back
Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons' running back has scored at least 15 fantasy points each of the past five weeks and has topped 30 fantasy points in four straight weeks. Freeman hasn't just been the best running back in fantasy this season, but he's absolutely destroying the competition. The Falcons' star not only leads running backs in Rushing NEP (24.30), Reception NEP (23.59) and Total NEP (47.89), but he has doubled up each of the next closest running backs in both Rushing NEP and Total NEP -- Giovani Bernard (11.32) and Dion Lewis (24.16), respectively. With another juicy matchup against a Titans' squad that's allowed 4.7 yards per carry and 6 rushing touchdowns in five games this season on the docket this week, Freeman is our top overall projected running back and is worth every penny of his massive price tag.
Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders
Although he didn't see his full compliment of carries the past two games while fighting through a shoulder injury, Murray should be healthy and fresh coming off of the Raiders' Week 6 bye, which bodes well for his workload in Week 7. While he has been somewhat hit-or-miss this season, this week's matchup against the Chargers should provide the Oakland running back with a perfect opportunity to bounce back following two sub-par performances. San Diego has struggled to slow down opposing running backs all season long, giving up the fourth most rushing yards per game (132.5) and allowing the fourth most rushing touchdowns in the NFL (6). In result, opposing running backs have torched the Chargers for the third most fantasy points per game through the first six weeks of the season. Look for Murray to bounce back in a big way in what is expected to be one of the highest scoring games on the slate.
Wide Receiver
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
As I mentioned earlier, the Colts' passing attack looked the best it has all season last week against the Patriots and, just like the aforementioned Luck, Hilton posted his best fantasy outing of the season grabbing 6 catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Although he has yet to be ruled out, New Orleans will likely be operating without their top cornerback -- Keenan Lewis -- as he deals with a hip flexor strain. Even if Lewis does suit up, he will be far from 100%, which means Hilton could see some very soft coverage against the porous Saints' secondary. With Vegas projecting the matchup between the Colts and Saints to be Week 7's highest scoring game with an over/under of 52, Hilton should see plenty of opportunities to accumulate fantasy points in what is expected to be a shootout.
Travis Benjamin, Cleveland Browns
Benjamin has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2015 season. The Browns' receiver has seemingly come out of nowhere as a true number-one option, already catching 31 balls for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns so far this season. Benjamin currently ranks inside of the top 10 among all wide receivers in both receiving yards and touchdowns and ranks ninth in Reception NEP. While a matchup against a solid Rams' defense is less-than-ideal, Benjamin excelled in a brutal matchup against the top-ranked Broncos' defense last week, catching nine balls for 117 yards on 13 targets. The Browns' emerging star should continue to be a target monster and makes a strong play -- especially given FantasyScore.com's PPR scoring -- despite a tough matchup against St. Louis.
John Brown, Arizona Cardinals
With Larry Fitzgerald on an absolute tear to start the 2015 season, Brown has gone somewhat under the radar to start the year. The Cardinals' diminutive receiver has topped nine fantasy points every week this season -- including 15-plus each of the past three weeks -- and is coming off of the best performance of his career in which he recorded 10 passes for 196 yards on a whopping 14 targets last week against Pittsburgh. With a dream matchup against a Ravens' secondary that has allowed the second most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, both Fitzgerald and Brown are very much in play this week. However, with Fitz likely to be shadowed by the Ravens' top cornerback Jimmy Smith, Brown provides much better value at a $2,600 cheaper price.
Tight End
Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees has historically loved targeting his tight ends, and it seems as though he has finally established some chemistry with his new one after the departure of Jimmy Graham in the offseason. Watson did his best Graham impression last week against Atlanta, hauling in 10 catches for 127 yards and his second touchdown in as many weeks, and looked to be Brees' go-to-guy all night long. While I don't expect another monster outing like a week ago, Watson should be in store for another big game this week against a Colts team who has allowed the tenth most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends this season in a game that should see a lot of points.The Saints' tight end is an absolute steal at just $2,700.
Flex
Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
Johnson seems to have usurped starting running back duties in Arizona while Andre Ellington was sidelined due to knee injury. Even with both Ellington and rookie David Johnson healthy, the man once known as CJ2K led all Cardinals' running backs in both carries (14) and snaps (39), although he was only able to convert them for 40 yards this past week. Outside of last week, Johnson has looked spectacular this season, rushing for 445 yards on 4.8 yards per carry while adding two rushing touchdowns on the year. Look for Johnson to remain as Arizona's lead back and to bounce back in a big way this week against a terrible Ravens' defense.
Defense
The Steelers' defense has been much better than expected to start the 2015 season. Pittsburgh has recorded the eighth most sacks (16), forced the 11th most turnovers (9) and ranks eighth in overall schedule-adjusted Defensive NEP. Not only has the Steelers' defense played extremely well this season, but they get the pleasure of facing off against a Chiefs squad who has already lost their best player -- Jamaal Charles -- for the season and may be without Jeremy Maclin as well as he goes through the league's concussion protocol. The Steelers can be had for just $2,000 this week and are our top overall projected defense on the board this week.
