Fantasy Football Week 7 Start/Sit: Which Running Backs Should You Start?

Let's wrap up the Week 7 fantasy football start/sit series by looking at some running backs!

We covered quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends already. Check out all Week 7 fantasy football content here!

Use the FantasySP start/sit decision for all your Week 7 lineup decisions! Projections and defensive rankings are also available!

Should You Start Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr.?

Minnesota running backs Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. are both part of trending decisions right now. We will compare them against Philadelphia's Dameon Pierce and Denver's Jonah Coleman.

The Vikings' running backs have a very favorable matchup coming in Week 7 against the Colts. That makes both of the backs worth starting in some fantasy leagues.

Jones has led the backfield through five weeks, filling in for Mason, who has missed all but Week 1. Mason is expected back in Week 7 though.

Jones has 410 rushing yards and two touchdowns across 97 attempts in his five contests. He has 72 receiving yards across 12 receptions and 18 targets. In his lone game this season, Mason posted 59 rushing yards and a score across 15 attempts, while not being targeted in the passing game.

The two backs usually split the backfield when they are both healthy, and that's what I'd expect in Week 7 if Mason is indeed activated. I have both players in my top-30 fantasy RBs, with Jones at No. 19 and Mason at No. 25.

For fantasy owners with both Minnesota backs on their rosters, Jones is preferred over Mason, but that could change when/if Mason is activated. Depending on your options, both could be startable on the same team.

Pierce is preferred over Mason by a little bit, with both guys starting together just 3.17% of the time. Jones is heavily preferred over Pierce, with both backs starting just 7.46% of the time.

Pierce has an unknown outlook in Week 7 as well with Saquon Barkley's status up in the air yet. Either Pierce will be a secondary option for the Eagles behind Barkley, or starting and a workhorse if Barkley is out again. 

The matchup the Eagles' backs have against the Cowboys is an above-average one, so I have the starting back ranked 14th. That could be Barkley or Pierce, so I like Pierce over Jones or Mason this week.

Mason is preferred over Coleman right now, but that could change based on which backs are available. Coleman is another back on IR right now, but he could be back for this week's game. 

I have J.K. Dobbins as a top-ranked Denver back, and that wouldn't change if Coleman were activated. I want to see Coleman deliver more before trusting him. Their matchup is slightly below average, so let the matchups decide your fantasy starting decisions between Coleman and either Minnesota back.

Should You Start Chase Brown or Woody Marks?

Cincinnati's Chase Brown and Houston's Woody Marks are part of a trending decision. Brown is preferred heavily over Marks right now, with both backs starting 58.82% of the time.

I have Brown ranked 13th this week, while Marks is 22nd. Some of that has to do with each back's outlook, as Brown should still be the Bengals' RB1, while Marks may be RB2 if David Montgomery is active.

Brown has a below-average matchup coming against the Ravens, while Marks has a slightly above-average test against the Giants. That makes the decision closer if Montgomery is out again, but I still believe in Brown over Marks. Both are startable depending on your other options.

Should You Start Josh Jacobs or Saquon Barkley?

Jacobs and Barkley are part of a trending decision as well. Jacobs is preferred ever so slightly over Barkley for now, with both RBs starting in 50% of leagues.

Jacobs ranked 18th for me this week, so four spots after Barkley. Jacobs hasn't played this season yet, so his snaps/production could be lower in his first game action, if he plays. Barkley has missed time with an injury, so he's a riskier starting option too.

If both backs are active, I'd do my best to get them each in my starting lineup. If you need to decide between the two though, I like Barkley over Jacobs.

That comes down to the matchups, as Jacobs has a below-average test against the Lions coming. We discussed Barkley's above-average test against Dallas earlier.

Should You Start Alvin Kamara or Emanuel Wilson?

Kamara and Wilson are part of another trending decision. Wilson is the preferred starter over Kamara for now, with both starting in 7.14% of leagues.

Neither back made my top-30 RB rankings this week. Each has a teammate that did though: New Orleans' Kendre Miller ranks 28th, while Seattle's Zach Charbonnet is 27th. I prefer those guys over Kamara or Wilson, but those two aren't that far off the top-30 list either.

Both backs have below-average tests coming; Wilson faces the Chiefs, while Kamara will be facing the Steelers. Wilson's outlook is a touch higher since the RB ahead of him is Charbonnet, who hasn't played yet this season. Wilson has done a decent job as RB1 the past few weeks, after the injury to Jadarian Price.

Anyways, I see Wilson and Kamara as better deep-league fantasy options in Week 7 (as long as Charbonnet is activated). They can be standard league flex options, but in tougher matchups, I'd do my best to avoid them.

If having to choose between them, I'd give Wilson an ever so slight edge, though it's pretty much a toss-up.