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Startem sitem SUNDAY Week 7 2022

By Brad Kruse

In this Start Em / Sit Em column each week, I'm looking to find some fringe players that you might consider starting each week and comment based on their matchups. Early on, I'll base my selection of candidates on where they were with respect to ADP. I'm not going to try to pad my stats by suggesting your start Josh Allen each week, but instead trying to dig deep and find some nuggets for players to avoid or to go after. These are coin flip guys and if I can finish the year at better than 60% I'll consider it a success. My metrics to get the start decision are: QB 20 pts or more, RB, WR or TE need to score 12 pts or more for a successful endorsement. Defense/Special Teams should put in 8 points or more to get those picks right. I'll look at ~3 players on each Thursday night's game and ~ 6 players for the rest of the week to get you going.

Player	Pos	Team	Opp	Start / Sit	Comment
Matt Ryan	QB	IND	CIN	START	QB has been very thin this year - the first year I can remember it being so tough to find a QB play outside of the top 7-8 names. But, Ryan is in a good spot this week. It sounds like Taylor and Hines will return and he has Pittman, Pierce and Campbell all available to him. Tennessee is 27th vs opposing QBs and 31st vs opposing WRs. It's a pass funnel defense which should play into Ryan being a spot starter.
Dak Prescott	QB	DAL	DET	START	This is Dak's first game back. IF you've been stashing him, use him against the 31st ranked defense against the QB. No better place for him to step in with his return.
Jared Goff	QB	DET	DAL	SIT	Goff has put up some solid numbers, but NE shut him down before the BYE. Dallas ranks as the 4th toughest vs opposing QBs. You may want to look for a streamer, but QB is awful thin this year so I couldn't blame you if you need him with Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts on a BYE this week.
Aaron Rodgers	QB	GB	WAS	START	This is a get right spot for Rodgers. He gets the 28th ranked defense vs the QB and 7th ranked defense against the run. Many people are calling for the Pack to use their RBs more, but this is the matchup to leverage Rodgers, his chemistry with Lazrd, the talents of Doubs and perhaps Tonyan or Aaron Jones out of the backfield.
Kenyan Drake	RB	BAL	CLE	START	Drake looks like he'll get first crack at a running game sans JK Dobbins. But Justice Hill and Gus Edwards may both be available this week so the leash will be short and it could be chopped up into a 3 headed committee.
Damien Harris	RB	NE	CHI	START	Harris is back this week. Rhamondre could now be the lead RB, but the Bears defense is highly vulnerable to oppsoing RBs They also tend to stop opposing WRs - perhaps due to teams finding so much success on the ground and opposing teams tending to be in positive game scripts. Look for NE to run both Harris and Rhamondre a lot.
Tony Pollard	RB	DAL	DET	START	Detroit is a defense you target. They are also 32nd ranked against the run, so look for Pollard and Elliott to eat in this one.
Courtland Sutton	WR	DEN	NYJ	SIT	This is going to be rough for the Broncos this week. The Jets defense is playing lights out and their rookie CB is top shelf. Both corners are actually playing well and Wilson is a GTD. Even if he's played he's going to be diminished from what we've seen so far this year. Avoid this matchup if you can.
Jerry Jeudy	WR	DEN	NYJ	SIT	This is going to be rough for the Broncos this week. The Jets defense is playing lights out and their rookie CB is top shelf. Both corners are actually playing well and Wilson is a GTD. Even if he's played he's going to be diminished from what we've seen so far this year. Avoid this matchup if you can.
Nico Collins	WR	HOU	LV	START	Assuming Vegas hasn't figured it out during the BYE, Vegas is ranked 32nd vs the QB and 28th vs the WR. The rookie has been the focal point of the attack, but Vegas ranks 4th against the run so they'll need to find some way to operate through the air. Both Cooks and Collins should find work.