NFL DFS: Week 7 Game Previews: One Player to Sit

As part of my new weekly schedule, I'll be releasing a Saturday feature called "One Player to Play" and "One Player to Sit" in which I'll go through each game in the upcoming weekend and give you a player from each to play, and a player from each to sit.  Here are your players to sit this weekend:

Buffalo at Jacksonville 9:30 a.m. 

Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville
The Bills have been very tough on opposing number one wideouts, holding the likes of Julian Edelman, AJ Green, and Odell Beckham Jr to less than 100 yards.  I expect shutdown corner Stephon Gilmore to do the same this weekend to Robinson.  That probably makes his opposite wideout Allen Hurns a great play, but it makes Robinson a "sit him" for this weekend.

Tampa Bay at Washington 1:00 p.m. 
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay
I'd actually rule out the whole Bucs' passing game, maybe their whole offense in this game.  The Redskins are stout against the run, and not bad against the pass either, only allowing about 17 fantasy points per game to the QB's of opposing teams.  Winston himself has struggled a bit this season also, averaging about 235 yards passing and with a 1-1 td-int ratio, he's just not a good play against any defense for me, let alone one as good as the Redskins.  Sit Winston, sit Evans, and sit Jackson as well.

Atlanta at Tennessee 1:00 p.m. 
Any player from Tennessee
There just isn't a good play from the Titans this week.  Looking at it at first, you think the Falcons defense is one of the worst in the league against the running back, but with Mariota out you have to think they'll load up the box against the run and try to make Metternberger bet them through the air.  I have no idea if Mettenberger can do that, and I'm not willing to bet on it, which is essentially what you're doing by putting him in your lineup.  Don't do it.


New Orleans at Indianapolis 1:00 p.m. 
Either team's defense.
This game is going to be a shoot out between two talented quarterbacks facing two porous pass defenses.  Don't play either defense in this game, as they'll be giving up points in bunches.  I've got both quarterbacks, and receivers from both teams as good plays for the week, making the defenses bad ones.

Minnesota at Detroit 1:00 p.m. 
Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, Detroit
Two weeks ago these two lost a lot of people's confidence against Arizona, including that of their coach, who benched his starting QB in favor of Dan Orlovsky (not a phrase uttered very often by those covering this league) after a 188 yard, 3 interception performance.  Then the next game (last week) they won a lot of those same people back over, with Stafford putting up 405 yards and 166 of that going to Megatron.  I worry too many people will be wooed by that, and want to play these two as a stack, against what some might perceive as a weak Vikings' defense.  But the truth of the Vikings' pass defense is that they're currently 10th and 4th in the league in giving up the least fantasy points to the other team's receiver and quarterback respectively.  I just don't think they have a good day this weekend.  Keep em benched.

Calvin Johnson may be on the downside of his career.

Pittsburgh at Kansas City 1:00 p.m. 
Charcandrick West, RB, Kansas City
Last week a lot of people (myself included to a limited extent I'll admit) talked about playing West as a value play, given the amount of snaps he'd likely see compared to the price Draft Kings was charging.  This week, I'm just not certain he'll get any production at all really.  The Steelers are allowing the 4th least fantasy points per game to running backs, and have faced truly talented starters like Todd Gurley, and Carlos Hyde.  I don't see West putting up any real numbers, in a game I think the Chiefs will be chasing the Steelers futilely, all afternoon.

Cleveland at St. Louis 1:00 p.m. 
Josh McCown, QB, Cleveland
For three games, everyone was really excited about Josh McCown as a starting QB in this league.  Then he played a decent defense, and everyone remembered why he's a backup, as he threw for just 213 yards and 2 picks while getting sacked 4 times by the top defense in the league.  He's coming into this week facing perhaps the toughest defensive line in the game, averaging more than 4 sacks per game this season.  With his own offensive line questionable at best, I just don't see McCown having a good game.  Sit his lead receiver Travis Benjamin as well.

Houston at Miami 1:00 p.m. 
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami
In his first game as head coach, Dan Campbell had the Dolphins run the ball 32 times and throw it just 29.  And Tannehill still managed to throw 2 picks against a middle of the pack pass defense in the Titans, and get sacked twice.  The Texans have a lot more talent on the defensive line, and should pressure Tannehill a bit more, perhaps into worse decisions and more picks.  He, and his lead receiver Jarvis Landry just aren't reliable plays this weekend.

NY Jets at New England 1:00 p.m. 
Tom Brady and Julian Edelman, QB/WR, New England
My fellow Patriot fans will hate me this week, but I just can't get behind playing the Patriots' offense this weekend.  The Jets' defense has been strong, and their strength-the defensive line-matches up against the Patriots' biggest weakness-the offensive line-this week.  I just don't know how it works out for the Pats.  Last weekend, Brady was able to compensate for the poor health of his offensive line by getting rid of the ball incredibly fast, but he wasn't playing against the likes of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie that game, so you have to imagine that game plan will change.  Brady will likely rely on Gronkowski, if anyone, but the Jets rank third in the league in giving up the least fantasy points per game to the tight end, so again, I just can't count on the Patriots in DFS this week.  Sit em.

Oakland at San Diego 4:05 p.m. 
Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland
Fantasy owners and DFS owners this year have begun what is likely to be a long love affair with Amari Cooper this year, but this weekend will be an early tiff in that affair, as Cooper goes up against Jason Varrett, lead cornerback for the Chargers who is playing as well as anyone in the league, shutting down the likes of AJ Green, Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Randall Cobb so far this season.  I doubt Amari Cooper in the 6th game of his career will be the receiver to figure that shutdown corner out.

Dallas at NY Giants 4:25 p.m. 
Joseph Randle, RB, Cowboys
The talk all week-really for the last two weeks-has been whether or not Randle will lose his job entirely to backup Christine Michael.  It doesn't appear he'll lose all his touches, but Michael WILL start eating into them, taking away from Randle's value.  McFadden will likely get the catches on receiving downs, so there's just not much fantasy value left for Randle there.  Even though the Giants are 8th worst in the league in giving up fantasy points to running backs, when you split those 27 points three ways that's just 9 points per back.  No real point in rostering that guy.

Philadelphia at Carolina 8:30 p.m. 
Everyone.
Like I said in my "one player to play" column earlier today, there's just nobody from this game that's a solid, reliable play.  Put both teams in the "sit em" category this weekend.

The Arizona secondary is poised to eat Joe Flacco's lunch Monday night

Baltimore at Arizona 8:30 p.m. (Monday)
Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore
Flacco has been a solid disappointment as one of the league's few hundred million dollar players.  He'll be relied upon to carry his team this week, and he'll likely be playing from behind a lot, throwing the ball a lot...into one of the toughest pass defenses in the league, currently 9th in the league in fantasy points allowed to the opposing team's QB.  They also lead the league in interceptions, with 11.  Considering that Flacco has the Ravens tied for 5th in the league with 7 picks thrown, that's a pretty good recipe for the Cardinals' pass defense to have a great day, and a pretty lousy recipe for Flacco.  Keep him and his receivers benched this week.