Fantasy football managers who will be without Tony Pollard, Joe Mixon, and Breece Hall this week are going to have to make some tough lineup decisions on who to start or sit at the RB position this week.
Here are some of my start/sit options at the RB position for Week 7 of NFL action.
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Which RBs Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Tate’s Other Week 7 Start/Sit Options: QB | WR | TE
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers offense has really struggled heading into their bye week but hope to get their dynamic all-purpose running back Aaron Jones back into the fold against the Denver Broncos defense that has given up multiple huge fantasy performances to opposing backs on multiple occasions this season.
One way to help get this Packers offense back on track is to establish a running game, which should equal a busy day at the office for Jones in Week 7.
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns offense managed to generate enough points with PJ Walker filling in for Deshaun Watson against a stout San Francisco 49ers defense.
One way they managed to pull off the upset was to get back to running the football efficiently, which they surprisingly did against the 49ers, rushing for 160 yards in the contest.
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Leading the charge in the backfield was Jerome Ford, with 84 yards on 17 carries. Sure, Kareem Hunt was still involved and scored on one of his 12 carries, but he still saw less work than Ford. Next up are the Indianapolis Colts, who just gave up two rushing scores to Travis Etienne in Week 6.
Not to mention, if Garnder Minshew struggles against a stout Cleveland defense, the Browns may be enticed to simply lean on the defense and running game if they are without Watson for a third consecutive game.
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Roschon Johnson was unable to clear concussion protocol in time to return for the Week 6 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings but could very well get back into the mix this week against the Las Vegas Raiders.
While you definitely need to monitor Johnson’s practice participation this week, the same can be said for monitoring the status of quarterback Justin Fields, who suffered a dislocated thumb on Sunday.
If Fields misses any time, the Bears would have to turn to Tyson Bagent or Nathan Peterman under center, which could make Chicago more likely to try to run the ball but could struggle to produce scoring opportunities.
Either way, Johnson should be heavily involved upon his return to the lineup in Week 7 if he clears concussion protocol.
Which RBs Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
The carries have been there for Gus Edwards on a weekly basis, but he hasn’t been able to cash in on the opportunities consistently in 2023.
Edwards has seen a minimum of 10 carries since Week 2 after J.K. Dobbins was ruled out for the rest of the 2023 season due to an Achilles injury.
Unfortunately, Edwards runs into a Detroit Lions defense in Week 7, which is averaging a league-best 10.1 fantasy points per game to opposing RBs.
With no pass-catching floor to speak of, Edwards feels like a fade this week against the Lions.
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
Some of the analysis for Cousins applies to Alexander Mattison. The Vikings offense simply isn’t going to produce as many scoring opportunities without Jefferson in the lineup over the next few games.
Despite seeing 18 carries against the Bears last week, Mattison produced just 44 yards on the ground.
A matchup against a talented 49ers defense is likely to make life even more difficult on the running game, which makes Mattison a risky RB2 play this week.
Trending Searches for RB Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, which we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on!
Should You Start Alexander Mattison or Jonathan Taylor?
Tough one. Both players have tough matchups. One player is getting the volume, while the other is clearly the more dynamic talent and should see an expanded/leading role eventually this season.
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Many might be quick to pick the Browns (who are fresh off of a win against the 49ers) over the Colts (who just got steamrolled by the Jacksonville Jaguars) because of the recent outcomes we saw in Week 6.
Truth is, this game could be a low-scoring affair, which could favor the Colts staying committed to the running game and giving Taylor more than 10 carries in a game. I’m going with Taylor.
Should You Start Jerome Ford or James Cook?
Both feel like the leading man in their respective backfields, but Cook plays in a better offense while Ford is still contending with Kareem Hunt for touches.
One small thing to note, though, would be Cook not being targeted once in the passing game for the first time this season, while he has continued to stay involved in the passing game.
When it’s close, the matchup will generally dictate which direction I go. In this case, Ford will be going up against a Colts defense that is allowing an average of 21 fantasy points per game to opposing RBs.
I’ll put one condition on this pick. If Watson sits again in Week 7, I’ll go with Cook to avoid having to trust PJ Walker to generate scoring opportunities.