Fantasy Football Week 7 Low-Ranked Starters: Jared Goff, Xavier Worthy, and More

Last week's attempt to find players ranked outside of fantasy starter range who would break into that group went poorly, with just one guy finishing on the right side of things:

• Matthew Stafford had his quietest day of the season, throwing for just 181 yards on 7.0 per attempt with a touchdown and no interceptions. His team mostly dominated the game, and Stafford didn't have to do much.
• Hassan Haskins turned out to be the lesser half of the halfback duo for the Chargers, carrying the ball just six times for 14 yards while Kimani Vidal had 18 carries for 124 yards. We had the right idea, just the wrong player.
• Chris Olave led the Saints with six receptions on 10 targets for 98 yards in a matchup against the Patriots, one of the most giving pass defenses in football.
• David Njoku followed the path of Haskins as the lesser of two players at the same position. He caught just three passes for 28 yards while Harold Fannin had seven catches and 81 yards.

Let's do it again and identify one player at each position who is ranked below starter level but will finish among that group. Rankings are based on our FantasySP projections. We are using the top 10 as “starters” for quarterbacks and tight ends and the top 20 for running backs and wide receivers.

Use FantasySP's projections to find the players who are primed for big weeks and help make your toughest lineup decisions.

Quarterback

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Goff is playing mostly to the level that he has the past few years in Detroit, averaging 231.7 yards per game on 8.0 per attempt with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. His per-game is down a little, but he is also completing almost 76% of his passes, which would set a record over a full season.

He doesn't bring the same excitement as dynamic players like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, but Goff has been consistently efficient, which has continued even without Ben Johnson calling plays. Goff ranks as fantasy QB9.

The matchup this week sets up nicely for another good game, as the Bucs have allowed the eighth-most yards per pass attempt and 11th-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. QBs have thrown for more than 250 yards per game with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions against Tampa.

Goff is a bit limited because he doesn't run, but he slings the ball around the field and regularly throws touchdowns, one of the best ways to rack up fantasy points. With a good matchup in this one, he is likely to have a strong week with a chance to finish in the top 10.

Running Back

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans

Running backs in split backfields are always tough to trust because on top of the team finding success running the ball, the right player has to be the one who benefits most to help fantasy owners. Not many teams outside of Detroit can sustain two fantasy backs.

That makes New England's duo of Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson a conundrum, particularly as the players have split touches and alternated who gets more work. Antonio Gibson is out for the season, which helps narrow it down to two players at least, but I generally don't feel confident relying on either guy on any given week.

The matchup here is what puts both backs firmly on fantasy radar. Tennessee has allowed the 12th-most yards per rush attempt and the third-most fantasy points per week to running backs.

Those fantasy struggles mostly come from allowing touchdowns, as all six teams they faced got a rushing touchdown from an RB, totaling nine overall (and one receiving score). The Titans also gave up over 100 running back rushing yards to the first five teams they faced before holding the Raiders to 71 last week.

The trick here is picking between Stevenson and Henderson. Tennessee hasn't been beaten by backs in the passing game, so we're more worried about the straight running game. I'll give Stevenson the slight advantage there, as he has carried the ball more, but both running backs have flex value in Week 7.

Wide Receiver

Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Worthy returned a few weeks back from a shoulder injury that knocked him out for essentially the entire first three games. There was a lot of fantasy buzz around his return, with Worthy expected to fill the top receiving role, and it started that way, though there has been inconsistency:

• In Week 4, Worthy led the Chiefs in both receiving yards (83) and rushing yards (38) against the Ravens, showing the volume that necessitated the hype.
• Worthy led the team with nine targets and six receptions in Week 5, but he gained just 42 yards on a day when three other pass catchers had more. He had one carry for nine yards.
• Last week was a slower outing, as Worthy caught just two passes for 20 yards, but he did get into the end zone for the first time. He added a rush attempt for six yards.

Worthy has been involved since returning, getting a carry or two each game while sitting near the top of the pass-catching hierarchy. That role made him a good fantasy player.

Things might change a little now that Rashee Rice is returning from a six-game suspension. Rice is expected to fill the WR1 role that he held before suffering a major knee injury last season, and that could push Worthy's numbers down as he gets fewer chances.

It still seems like there's enough to go around, and the Chiefs will probably have different top receivers each week rather than one guy always leading the way. The Raiders are right in the middle in yards per pass attempt allowed, but they have given up the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including over 160 receiving yards and one receiving TD per game.

Worthy has more competition for touches, but the former first-round pick is still likely to be involved in the offensive attack and has a chance to reach the top 20 if he can find the end zone.

Tight End

Harold Fannin, Cleveland Browns vs. Miami Dolphins

Of all the good matchups we have on this list, this might be the best one. Miami has given up the fourth-most yards per pass attempt and sixth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Opposing teams regularly do what they want against the Dolphins, who have given up 29 points per game, the fourth most of any team.

Fannin has been one of three pass catchers to help the offense move, along with Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku. Njoku is out this week, so along with being the top tight end on the depth chart, Fannin is one of only two WR/TEs who have been regularly involved.

That points toward volume for Fannin, who leads the team in receptions and receiving yards and is second in targets and touchdowns. Cleveland had thrown more pass attempts than any other team entering Week 7.

With plenty of usage heading his way and a great matchup, Fannin borders on being a must-start player this week. Anyone without a weekly starter at tight end would do well to look in this direction.