By Jacob Posik
With Week 7 in the books, here are some changes you can make to your fantasy football roster to maximize your point total next weekend.
Start ‘em
San Francisco running back Frank Gore is a certain start this week. There have been past weeks where Gore has underperformed, mostly when quarterback Colin Kaepernick was having difficulties as well, but the 49ers are going up against a Jacksonville Jaguars unit that is certainly the worst in the league.
Look for Gore and the rest of San Fran’s offensive weapons to have a heyday. Jacksonville’s interior run defense is porous, and I don’t see them stopping Gore until he reaches the second layer of the defense. Even though he’s getting up there in age, he’s as explosive as ever through the hole. He doesn’t need to rip off big gains when he can hammer runs of 6-10 yards at a time through the heart of the defense. Gore could easily get back on track with a 100-yard, two-touchdown performance.
Green Bay running back Eddy Lacy deserves a start this week as well. I think in Week 8 we will see just how good he really is. The Packers will have to have a good balance of run and pass to overcome Minnesota this week. I think the Vikings are better than their record shows, and they’re still pretty stout defensively. Lacy is strong, and his big legs can move the pile after first contact. The Packers are still a pass-oriented offense — and who wouldn’t be with Aaron Rodgers at the helm — but a solid fantasy output from Lacy isn’t out of the question, especially if he gets rolling early.
Sit ‘em
Washington’s Alfred Morris probably isn’t your best bet at running back this week when the Redskins face off against the Denver Broncos. The Redskins have some identity issues this year, and Robert Griffin III is having some real problems getting the offense moving on all cylinders. Morris hasn’t had the same effect on the offense that he had last year, and I don’t think he’ll be able to get anything going against Denver. The Broncos are too big up front, and with Elvis Dumervil screaming off the edges or on an interior blitz, Morris could be in for a long day.
Washington could be forced to play catch-up if the Denver offense continues its torrid start to the season, which would hinder Morris’ touches. All signs point to a rough day fantasy-wise for the second-year tailback.
C.J. Spiller should also be on the bench this week. The versatile running back likely won’t have much success against the much-improved New Orleans Saints defense this weekend. Fred Jackson’s emergence as the Bills’ number one runner has cut in to Spiller’s carries. I don’t expect that to change this week.
Sleepers
San Diego wide receiver Keenan Allen is the sleeper pick for this week. If your receiving core has struggled to put up points thus far, Allen is definitely worth a look. He is quickly becoming one of quarterback Philip Rivers’ favorite targets. He’s caught touchdown passes from Rivers two weeks in a row, and had over 100 yards receiving on Monday night in the win against the Indianapolis Colts. He has a lot of vertical speed, but his versatility allows him to line up in the slot and create mismatches for the opposition. Pick him up and see how he performs for a few weeks before giving him the start.