MUST-START Players for Week 7! Fantasy Football Sleepers & Start/Sit Picks (Ep. 2286)

October 23, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Week 7 Fantasy Football: Must-Start Players Worth the Risk

The FantasyPros crew identifies several underrated starters for Week 7, focusing on players whose underlying metrics suggest they're due for breakout performances despite surface-level struggles. The episode centers on the gap between what analytics show and what box scores reveal—and which matchups make this the week those two things finally align.

Aaron Rodgers as a Reliable QB1

Derek Brown makes the case that Aaron Rodgers belongs in starting lineups despite being ranked QB13 in expert consensus rankings. Rodgers has posted 22 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games, and the Saints defense has been one of the league's worst, giving up the seventh most yards per attempt and fourth highest passing success rate to opposing quarterbacks. Brown projects Rodgers for two passing touchdowns and over 270 yards, noting that this version of Rodgers—operating with full control of Mike McCarthy's system—is significantly better than what we saw with the Jets last year.

The hosts play a quick comparison game: Rodgers has more QB1 finishes this season than C.J. Stroud, Dak Prescott, and Patrick Mahomes. That's not a hot take—it's just what the numbers show.

RJ Harvey: The Running Back No One Is Talking About

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What you'll learn

1 (00:36) **Week 7 Primer & Must-Start Intro** - Hosts Seth Woolcock and Derek Brown kick off the episode, setting the stage for a tough week of start/sit decisions due to bye weeks and injuries.
2 (02:27) **Aaron Rodgers (QB) as a Must-Start** - Derek argues Aaron Rodgers is a strong QB1 play against the struggling Saints defense.
3 (05:06) **RJ Harvey (RB) as a Must-Start** - Derek highlights RJ Harvey as a top-24 running back, driven by his elite pass-catching role against a weak Cardinals defense.
4 (08:35) **Casey Concepcion (WR) as a Must-Start** - Derek makes the case for Casey Concepcion as a top-36 wide receiver, despite his poor fantasy production so far.
5 (11:41) **Malik Washington (WR) as a Must-Start** - Derek argues Malik Washington is a strong WR3 who could become a WR2 if he finally scores his first touchdown.
6 (15:19) **Mikiah Lemon (WR) as a Must-Start** - Derek suggests Mikiah Lemon as a serviceable flex play in a fantastic matchup against the Cowboys' slot defense.
7 (19:19) **Juwan Johnson (TE) as a Must-Start** - Derek confidently ranks Juwan Johnson as a top-8 tight end, starting him over names like Travis Kelce and Kyle Pitts.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Need a spark in your Week 7 fantasy football lineup? Seth Woolcock and Derek Brown identify overlooked must-start players who could outperform their rankings, led by Aaron Rodgers and Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey.

Can Malik Washington finally find the end zone? Is KC Concepcion ready for a breakout performance against the Tennessee Titans? The guys dig into the matchups and usage trends behind their favorite picks.

They also highlight a deep wide receiver sleeper in Philadelphia, explain why Juwan Johnson deserves another chance, and share additional tight end streaming options.

Timestamps: (May be off due to ads)

Intro - 0:00:00

Aaron Rodgers - 0:01:50

RJ Harvey - 0:04:37

KC Concepcion - 0:08:07

Malik Washington - 0:11:22

Makai Lemon - 0:14:51

FantasyPros Start/Sit Assistant - 0:18:24

Juwan Johnson - 0:18:53

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