“Start, Sit & Seth” is the original column of In-Between Media, bridging feel-good lifestyle advice with redraft fantasy football analysis. Consistently following Seth Woolcock’s journey as a young creator, this series is now in its sixth season. Join him in this edition as he reflects on lessons learned while racing a horse and buggy in Amish country. He also dives into his start and sit decisions for Week 7, including two Chiefs receivers.
My $12 pair of running shoes stepped to the edge of the front yard. Under Armour, neck gator and compression leggings all layered, I was ready to go on the first brisk run of the fall.
I looked left and took notice of the oncoming traffic coming down the road: a tractor-trailer followed by an Amish buggy. Naturally, I let the semi go, but something compelled me to take off with the buggy a mere 50 yards behind me.
“I can’t actually outrun a horse and buggy, right?” I thought to myself.
It was approximately a half mile before I’d take a left and turn off our road, ending the so-called race. Between here and there, it was downhill past two neighboring farms and then flat until a sizeable incline to the other side of the valley.
By the time I passed the second farm, about halfway to the turn on Beatty’s Tailgate Road, I turned my head around, searching for the buggy. I was moving pretty quickly – surely a pace that I couldn’t sustain for the next few miles – but I was amazed that I was still that much farther ahead than the buggy.
Wanting to beat it to the top, I motored the next quarter of a mile. It wasn’t by much, and albeit I did have a head start, I had somehow beaten the Amish on four wheels.
However, it was what happened next that is the pressure point of this week’s column.
Finding the Right Stride
My pace slowed considerably after turning onto Betty’s Tailgate.
I was spent.
But it was at that exact moment – peering over the countryside on the crest of another hill – that I began to notice some of the changes happening in my surroundings.
An entire cornfield that was there the day before was suddenly gone. There was a whole other side of a farm now uncovered with an old blue pickup truck sitting on the edge of the field. Quite picturesque if you ask me.
Behind it and across the woodsline was another farm I had never noticed despite running this route for months. Off both sides of the road in the distance were harvesters, plowing what remains of this year’s crop.
It was only once I slowed down that I could take in the beauty in what was around me. An airplane cutting across the blue sky. The subtle shades of red and orange in the maples, reminding me of where I grew up.
While trivial to some, this fleeting moment had meaning. A cue that we’ll only ever realize the goodness and subtle nuances around us if we learn to take our foot off the gas every once in a while.
There will always be metaphoric Amish buggies to run with. Competitors to rival at work. Deadlines to hit. Our own ambitions to fulfill. And, of course, fantasy football leaguemates to beat.
But there will never be another right now.
Call it growing up or slowing down, but I’m fine spending a little less time in the race and a little more time here.
Alright, and here we go.
The following Week 7 start/sit selections are based on stats, trends and film research, reflecting value in Points Per Reception (PPR) Redraft Leagues.
Quarterback I’d Start in Week 7:
Jared Goff (Detroit): Consensus ranks across the internet suggest to sit Jared Goff this week. But I’m not buying it. Finishing as the overall QB4 in back-to-back weeks and a top-six option at the position in 50% of his games this season, Goff feels like a set-it-and-forget play at this point.
The Ravens may appear as a bottom-two matchup for opposing signal callers. But here’s the list they’ve faced:
- C.J. Stroud in his first NFL start
- Joe Burrow on a bad calf
- Gardner Minshew
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson
- Kenny Pickett
- Ryan Tannehill/Malik Willis
Not exactly world-beaters.
With no David Montgomery, Goff will be leaned on once again. Expect plenty of volume and QB1 upside for the California kid.
Quarterback I’d Sit in Week 7:
Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay): I trusted Baker Mayfield off the bye week enough that I rolled out Cade Otton as a desperation play in some tight end premium leagues. Things didn’t necessarily go as planned as Mayfield completed just 19 of 37 attempts for 206 yards and an interception, leaving the second-year man with one measly catch for 15 yards.
Yes, this was against a seemingly stout Detroit defense, allowing the ninth-fewest points and seventh-fewest yards per game this season. However, this week’s matchup is against the Falcons, whose defense is at least in the same tier as the Lions. Atlanta allows the 14th-fewest points per game but just the fourth-fewest yards. In fact, no QB in six games has thrown for more than 250 yards against them.
Sam Howell and Jordan Love made up for that with three touchdown performances versus the Falcons. Yet, Goff, Trevor Lawrence and Stroud combined for three TDs and one interception against Atlanta. With most of Tampa Bay’s talent being on the perimeter, matched up with Atlanta’s strength in the backend, I anticipate limited numbers for Mayfield this week.
Running Back I’d Start in Week 7:
Zack Moss (Indianapolis): This is another call in which the matchup looks gross, but it could actually lead to some serviceable fantasy points. The Cleveland Browns’ defense allows the least amount of yards per game to opposing teams. Jim Schwartz has the personnel to run heavy man coverage, and it’s working. I expect the Colts’ No. 1 WR, Michael Pittman Jr., to see a lot of Denzel Ward and be limited in production.
Likely being pigeon-holed to the middle of the field, Minshew will look for his running backs, Zack Moss and Jonathan Taylor. The duo combined for 15 targets, compared to just six targets to Colts’ tight ends last week.
Moss has been surprisingly magnificent this season, pacing as the PPR RB5 in five games, including four weekly RB1 finishes. With Taylor still getting up to full speed, I expect at least a 40-50% snap share for Moss, which should be enough to return value as a low-end RB2 with upside for more.
Running Back I’d Sit in Week 7:
Gus Edwards (Baltimore): If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Or, in this case, if it’s broke, why keep starting it? For the second week in a row, I’m fading Baltimore RB Gus Edwards. The volume was there last week to prove me wrong, but Edwards turned 16 attempts into just 41 rushing yards, good for just 2.6 Yards Per Carry (YPC).
The Lions are the No. 1 defense at limiting opposing RBs’ fantasy points. Dan Campbell‘s boys have astoundingly allowed just 47.2 rushing yards per game to the position and two total touchdowns. Even if you’re desperate, don’t consider Edwards in your Week 7 start/sit decisions.
Receiver I’d Start in Week 7:
Rashee Rice (Kansas City): If you took my advice back in Week 4 and grabbed Rashee Rice after waivers ran, you’ve been sitting on the Chiefs’ rookie for some time. Well, with six teams on bye, Week 7 is the time to fire up No. 4. Rice has scored at least 10.9 PPR points in four of his six games this season. He also currently leads the Chiefs’ receivers in receptions (21), receiving yards (245) and touchdowns (two).
His matchup against the Chargers at home is a dream, as Los Angeles allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. That includes the second-most red zone targets (four) per game to receivers and the ninth-most Yards After the Catch (YAC) per completion.
These are both of Rice’s specialties. If there’s a ceiling game coming for the 23-year-old, Week 7 should be it.
Receiver I’d Sit in Week 7:
Kadarius Toney (Kansas City): Same game, same team, but I’m expecting wildly different results for Kadarius Toney. His snap percentage snuck back up to a respectable 42% last week, encouraging some to fire Toney up in this great matchup.
However, it still won’t be enough to bring fantasy relevance to the former Florida Gator. Toney has seen 12 targets over the past two weeks yet has only created 35 yards with them. Keep in mind, these aren’t just any targets, but ones thrown from arguably the best QB in the league, Patrick Mahomes. Aside from his occasional big-play ability, Toney just isn’t a special player. His efficiency metrics scream that. He is 81st among WRs in fantasy points per target (1.28) and 200th in Expected Points Added (-9.2).
The former first-round pick shouldn’t be rostered, let alone considered in your Week 7 start/sit decisions.
If you have a feel-good story that you would like to share for an opportunity to be featured in an upcoming edition of “Start, Sit & Seth,” please reach out.
And for more fantasy football and uplifting content, especially start/sit advice, you can find me on Twitter @Between_SethFF.