By james art 
RotoBaller.com’s Scott Engel lineup spotlight features key players to consider for your starting lineups each week during the 2024 fantasy football season. The King features fantastic analysis of the starting options that can be included in your calls in a close composition.
The potential fantasy starters highlighted on this list are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup rankings, available on the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Don’t forget to enter promo code KING at checkout for an extra discount and access his player rankings across all formats. Plus, you’ll get a ticket to a fantastic “All You Can Read” spread of seasonal tools and analysis.
When considering the players featured here for Week 7 lineups, also review our fantasy football staff rankings to see where they rank compared to your alternate starting picks. The analysis is based on Scott’s Week 7 PPR rankings, and we also include tips and reminders for players returning from injuries.
Be sure to check out all of our 2024 fantasy football rankings:
Jordan Mason
He is off the injury report and should start as usual this week. The Chiefs are the top team in the NFL in Fantasy points allowed to RBs, but the 49ers will be looking to avenge their regular season loss in Super Bowl 58. Mason should not be benched as the 49ers will come to play hard in the match of the week.
James Cook is also off the injury report and should start as usual. If an NFL team clears a player for the game, then I clear that player for my fantasy lineup unless restrictions are announced.
Tank Bigsby
Travis Etienne seems to be aiming for a game-time decision. Bigsby could be a boom or bust option, but the matchup is good against the Patriots. New England is 27thth in FFPG allowed to RBs, and the Jacksonville RB has already shown his upside this season. He is a top 20 RB for Week 7, with Etienne’s status uncertain at press time.
Tyrone Tracy Jr
Devin Singletary is expected to return this week, but could be pushed back into the offensive mix. Tracy has added a new spark to the offense and could remain in the Giants RB picture for the rest of the year. Philadelphia has a reputation as a strong defensive team against the run. The Eagles are actually ranked 14thth in rushing yards allowed to RBs, so start Tracy at a flex spot.
Bucky Irving/Sean Tucker
We’ll have to wait and see if Rachaad White is available, and if he is, Tampa Bay’s defensive backfield will spark a lot of fantasy. Todd Bowles said he will take a “hot hand” approach when all three RBs are active.
Irving has some promise in every game and Tucker is coming off a career game, but Baltimore ranks second in yards allowed to RBs. While we may see a higher-scoring matchup between Tampa Bay and Baltimore, I won’t recommend using Tucker or White if the latter plays.
Tucker needs to prove he can build on last week’s outing, and White has been a big disappointment so far this year. When both Irving and White were available to play recently, the rookie was clearly taking over as the lead RB. So I prefer Irving over the other two in every situation for now.
If you’re faced with a close call on game day between the Tampa Bay RB and another player in line for a solid workload, consider rotating the Buccaneers RB for this week. Irving really looks special in terms of making defenders miss, rebounding on shots and showing patience as shown in the post below. He’s still the one I want out of all the Tampa Bay clubs.
Bucky Irving pic.twitter.com/Jdx4dAOHch
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 16, 2024
Tyler Goodson
Jonathan Taylor remains out and Trey Sermon should start again. But he has been ineffective on his touches and is averaging 2.5 yards per carry this season. You’re basically hoping for a TD, otherwise Sermon is a failure of a streamer. Goodson is versatile and can produce adequate numbers as a lineup slugger.
Last week, Goodson totaled 65 yards from scrimmage on a dozen touches. Miami is 30thth in FFPG allowed to RB. The 23-year-old second-year man is just outside the top 30 at his position in my Week 7 rankings.
Tyler Allgaier
Seattle’s defense is dealing with multiple key injuries while being highly vulnerable to RBs during a three game losing streak. Allgaier is coming off a 105-yard outing, and he’s a viable lineup player if a quality RB with more guaranteed touches isn’t available to you this week.
Atlanta has the fourth-best offensive line blocking matchup grade on Pro Football Focus for Week 7.
Nick Chubb
This will be his first game of the season and while Jerome Ford is out, it is better to wait and see Chubb for now as he will be in preseason physical mode. He is not ranked in my top 40 RBs for Week 7. Cleveland has the third-worst offensive line blocking grade on Pro Football Focus for Week 7.
Malik Nabers
He was cleared to play, so the rookie standout should be back in the lineups. Through the first four games of the season, Nabers led the NFL in targets and receptions. This additional reminder simply serves as another directive to always play your regular starters when they are no longer on the injury report. Don’t worry about ongoing problems if they haven’t been reported.
You Higgins
Just a note for those who have a situation where Higgins isn’t a surefire starter: He has PFF’s second-best WR/CB matchup grade of any WR in Week 7 against Cleveland’s corners (92.0/grade excellent) .
Darnell Mooney
Seattle’s pass defense will be significantly depleted this week, as top corners Rick Wallen and Tre Brown will be out, along with linebackers Rayshaun Jenkins and Jerick Reed II. I have Mooney in fantasy WR2 territory for Week 7. Devon Witherspoon, who is the Seahawks’ best CB, will have to be assigned to Drake London often.
Mooney, meanwhile, will face backups and possibly promoted players from the practice squad much of the time. Two more TD catches would give him a new career high of five in a season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Falcons’ threat in the middle of the field reach that mark this week. At the very least, I expect 100+ receiving yards and one TD catch.
Jameson Williams
The Vikings have built a reputation as a stout defense this year, yet they still allow the most FFPG to WRs. Minnesota may be able to limit the pass at times. However, Detroit presents a formidable challenge for any pass defense, in any game scenario. Start Williams as a fantasy WR3 this week.
Davante Adams
Adams will make his Jets debut against Pittsburgh, a defense that scares most fantasy players. However, the Steelers are not a completely closed unit against the pass (10th in FFPG allowed to WRs), In his eagerness to get the Green Bay Jets passing game going, Aaron Rodgers will look to include Adams often enough for fantasy WR3 consideration.
New York Jets unveil new logo after trade for Davante Adams pic.twitter.com/p4ZVSdpMsE
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) October 15, 2024
The Jets handbook that Adams received this week could be very similar to the Packers handbook in 2021. Although I’m kind of kidding, the strong connection between Adams and Rodgers marks him as a top 30 WR in my Week 7 rankings. Expect a TD reception He is fit to play and trained fully this week.
— theScore (@theScore) October 18, 2024
Tyreek Hill
Indianapolis’ pass defense is 26thth in the NFL. However, Tyler Huntley hasn’t shown he can take advantage of any matchups while reducing Hill’s production to the point where he’s been benched by some fantasy players before Miami’s bye week. Hill is a mid-range fantasy WR3 this week without a floor. If you still feel like keeping it reserved, I don’t mind.
Demario Douglas
Drake May gave the New England passing game a pulse last week, and Douglas finished with a career-best 92 receiving yards against Houston. The Jaguars allow the second most FFPG to a WR, so Douglas is ranked as a top 35 WR.
Xavier Leggett
The rookie has caught two TD passes in the last three games, and a game against Washington could always improve the WR’s prospects. Diontae Johnson is bumped and Andy Dalton will move the ball effectively enough against the Commanders. Leggette could be used as a streamer with some promise for Week 7. Washington is 28th in FFPG allowed for WR.
George Pickens
Russell Wilson still throws a good deep ball. I’m still not playing Pickens against the Jets. No need for a deep analysis here, just noting that I didn’t rank him as a top 40 WR this week.
Quarterbacks and Tight Ends – Fantasy Football Week 7
Kirk Cousins
Noting the major injury issues in Seattle’s pass defense above, I rank Cousins as my QB7 for this week. I wouldn’t start him with regularly locked-down QBs like Jaden Daniels or Jordan Love, but Cousins should still get the nod in any true tight end lineup. Examples include his plays over Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield.
Without Riq Woolen. No Tre Brown. Without Stone Forsyth. #seahawks have challenges in Atlanta Sunday.
We expect rookie Nehemiah Pritchett to start at CB opp Devon Witherspoon, Kobe Bryant at nickel safety, K’Vaughn Wallace to S at nickel—and 42-year-old Jason Peters debut at RT pic.twitter.com/LAVgzWCr9x
— Greg Bell (@gbellseattle) October 18, 2024
Jared Goff
The Lions have the third-best pass blocking rating of any PFF offensive line for Week 7. Minnesota’s defense is playing well overall, but Detroit’s passing game will put points on the board against any opponent, as mentioned in -early. Jordan Love threw four TD passes against the Vikings in Week 6. Goff is ranked as a low-end QB1.
Kyle Pitts
I confirm that I will be using the Falcons stack in DFS lineups this week. Pitts is my No. 7 TE for Week 7.
Mark Andrews/Isaiah Leakley
Baltimore’s offense ranks first in the NFL and is eighth in passing offense. Tampa Bay is 28thth in FFPG allowed for TE, so run Andrews as a back-end fantasy TE1. He probably ranks as a higher-end fantasy TE2.
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