Fantasy Football Week 7 Start 'Em Sit 'Em WRs: Terry McLaurin, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and more

Fantasy managers don't (or at least shouldn't) need help with the obvious choices at receiver entering Week 7. Barring the first sign of an apocalypse, players such as Tyreek Hill should be in starting lineups every week.

Decisions get a bit more difficult after that, and that is where I hope to help by providing a reason or two why we can trust certain WR3 or WR4 types that usually end up deciding fantasy matchups. Below are a few receivers outside the top 24 scorers - on a per-game basis - after five weeks who I believe can help you win this week and a few other wideouts who are generally considered starters who I believe could disappoint:

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start 'Em Wide Receivers

Chicago Bears v Washington Commanders

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders @ New York Giants

It seems the story of McLaurin's career up to this point is mediocre quarterback play, poor/inconsistent usage or both. Sam Howell may already be the best quarterback that the 28-year-old receiver has had in his NFL career, but McLaurin's usage to begin the season - no more than six targets in any of his first three games - was not ideal.

McLaurin has since rebounded with target totals of 10, 5 and 11 over the last three weeks and parlayed that into 18 catches for 216 scoreless yards. While the lack of a touchdown is a bummer, the production is good enough for him to be the overall WR21 over that span.

This week, he faces a New York defense that has been very forgiving against alpha wideouts. The Giants have surrendered at least 100 yards and/or a touchdown to each of their last five opponents' recognized top receiver.

Terry McLaurin vs Jakobi Meyers Week 7 fantasy projection

Pitting McLaurin against Raiders wideout Jakobi Meyers in our Start/Sit Optimizer paints an interesting, though clear picture. McLaurin is projected for a shade over Meyers for Week 7.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals

There is a distinct possibility Tyler Lockett ends up being the best receiver play from Seattle this week, especially with DK Metcalf nursing injuries to his ribs and hip. However, most fantasy managers are already starting him. The same cannot be said for their rookie teammate, who is coming off his best effort of the season in Week 6 (four catches for 48 yards on five targets).

Managers are rarely ever swayed to start a player in fantasy whose best effort through five games is 8.8 PPR points. However, in a week where six teams are on bye, some of us will have to roll the dice a bit, which brings us to Smith-Njigba.

The No. 20 overall pick in April's draft is coming off a week in which he set season highs in snaps (50) and routes run (39), bettering his previous marks in both by a wide margin and indicating his preseason wrist injury is no longer an issue. Making his matchup even more appealing this week is that Arizona's top slot CB/S Jalen Thompson (hamstring) will miss his second straight game.

Other potential strong start(s):

Zay Flowers, Ravens (this rookie already has three games of 10 or more targets and may be needed even more than usual against a Detroit defense that gives up virtually nothing to opposing running games)

Curtis Samuel, Commanders (Samuel is getting used a lot in the red zone and should benefit from his expected primary matchup against the Giants' Cor'Dale Flott)

Fantasy Football Week 7 Sit 'Em Wide Receivers

Indianapolis Colts v Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts @ LA Rams

The Browns' defense is playing at a historically good level through five games. While there are a couple of of statistics that can drive home that point, one of the better ones might be how poorly opposing receivers have fared against them. Cleveland is giving up an average of five catches, 94.2 yards and 0.2 touchdowns to the position each week. That is not just the opponent's top wideout or their starters, but the team's entire group of receivers.

Brandon Aiyuk (11.6) became only the second receiver to reach double-figure PPR fantasy points against the Browns last week and needed 10 targets to get his four catches. No receiver has caught more than five passes against Cleveland.

Pittman has been a target hog this year, attracting at least 11 of them in four of six games. While another high-volume game cannot be ruled out for a player of his talent, the Colts would be wise to lean heavily on the ground game and limit the number of times QB Gardner Minshew has to face the Browns' pass rush or secondary.

Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders @ Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers v Las Vegas Raiders

Just like Pittman, most fantasy managers will not have the luxury of sitting someone like Meyers. With that said, there are multiple reasons why expectations for him should be modest when it comes to one of the early surprise fantasy starts of the season.

First and foremost, QB Jimmy Garoppolo (back) will not play in Week 7, which will result in Aidan O'Connell or Brian Hoyer drawing the start. Assuming O'Connell gets the nod again - as he did for an injured Garoppolo in Week 4 - Meyers recorded season lows with two catches for 33 yards on four targets in what should have been a great matchup (Chargers). If Hoyer gets the nod, the entire offense could underperform.

The second reason to lower expectations for Meyers is that Week 7 should be the most recent example of the squeaky wheel narrative. Davante Adams made it clear earlier this week that he was less than thrilled about his declining role in the offense over the last two weeks (nine targets) after earning 33 looks over the previous two contests.

Other potential weak start(s):

George Pickens, Steelers (not only is Pittsburgh's offense middling at best, but the Rams have been exceptional at limiting big plays by receivers)

D.J. Moore, Bears (once again, Moore isn't a sit so much as he is a player to lower expectations for since he will be catching passes from rookie Tyson Bagent - as opposed to Justin Fields)