By: Fan Sports Lists Team

6 teams have byes and the position most effected is RB with the likes of LeVeon Bell, Todd Gurley, Jay Ajayi and others off this week.

Sources for defensive stats: rushing & passing.

7 Players to start this week:

1. Matt Forte – RB – NYJ @ Cle: Forte could be in for a big game against the Cleveland defense that is giving up 139 rushing yards per game. If you have Forte make sure he is in your lineup.

2. Jeremy Hill – RB – Cin vs. Was: Jeremy Hill is in line for another good week again. He will be going up against a defense that has allowed 119 yards per game rushing this season. He had a slow start so far but he might be heating up.

4. Dez Bryant – WR – Dal vs. Phi: Don’t be afraid to start Dez off of the injury. He is reportedly pretty healthy now and has to be raring to go! He is facing a matchup that he should be able to exploit as long as the Cowboys’ elite O-line can contain the Eagles pass-rush.

5. Jaquizz Rodgers – RB – TB vs. Oak: Last week we mentioned Quizz as a sleeper and by now he should be owned in all leagues. Start him this week in a good match-up and

beyond until Doug Martin returns. Who knows, he may even take the job and run with it in Tampa.

6. Latavius Murray – RB – Oak @ TB: Now is the time to play Murray. He was relatively productive before being injured and has reclaimed his job as the lead back. He has some tough matchups and a bye upcoming but could also be very helpful late in the year.

7. Jonathan Stewart – RB – Car vs. Ari: J Stew is a decent play if you need an RB or flex this week. The Cards D has been very average against the run and Stewart is a talented back who should be feeling good physically after a bye last week.

1. LeSean McCoy – RB – Buf vs. NE: McCoy tweaked his hamstring injury last week in limited action and looks to be headed towards being a game-time decision again. If you can, it would be best to sit him this week against the Patriots.

2. Jamal Charles – RB – KC @ Ind: Although it is a favorable matchup for the Chiefs, Charles has been non-existent in the run game. Spencer Ware seems to be handling things just fine so there is no reason to rush Charles back. Until he sees a significant increase in touches, look else-Ware.

3. Alshon Jeffery – WR – Chi .vs Min: I think the only thing that could help at this point is Cutler coming back and forcing the ball to him. Jeffery has been a letdown all year and it’s not all his fault. If things don’t turn around quickly he will be more of a flex option than the WR1 that we have seen him be in the past. Try to avoid playing him this week in a bad matchup against Min.

4. Travis Benjamin – WR – SD @ Den: Benjamin should be firmly on your bench and is eligible to be cut if you need to pick up a bye week fill-in. Keep an eye on him though as his matchup get better and better as the season progresses.

5. T.J. Yeldon – RB – Jac @ Ten: Yeldon is clearly a must-bench but is also a guy who can be cut if you need roster flexibility. He is a true time-share with a back who has a very similar level of talent. The other half, Chris Ivory, is the goal line back and neither gets many targets. For a offense that isn’t very productive, Yeldon has little to no upside for the time being.

6. Philadelphia D @ Dal: Don’t become enamored with the Eagles performance against the Vikings last week. The O-line they faced may be the worse in football. Consider Philly a matchup play until proven otherwise and this is not the matchup you want. If you can, keep them around for later in the year but consider another D to stream (see below).

7 Players to plug-in or pick-up if possible:

1. Cameron Brate – TE – TB .vs Oak: Brate is an intriguing option this week going up against the lousy Raiders secondary. If you are looking for a TE to play this week, take a flyer on Brate.

2. Cordarrelle Patterson – WR – Min @ Chi: CP84 has been getting touches and being productive. If the Vikes coaches are smart, they will get the ball in CP’s hands as often as possible including out of the backfield. Fantasy owners know he has talent and the Vikings badly need play makers on O. This could be a productive stretch for Patterson with a chance at being a turning point in his career.

3. New York Jets D @ Cle: The main reason is already mentioned right before this sentence. Here’s another reason: the Jets are coming off of their best fantasy day of the year.

4. Vernon Davis – TE – Was @ Cin: Davis has shown he can still get down the field and make some plays. He faces a Bengals defense that is allowing 247 passing yards per game, so Davis is another bye-week fill-in.

5. Will Fuller – WR – Hou .vs Det: Fuller could be in for a big game against a Detroit defense that has had a hard time slowing down opposing offenses. DeAndre Hopkins will likely draw Darius Slay in coverage, if he plays. That should give Fuller the inside track to big numbers.

6. Matt Asiata – RB – Min @ Chi: Asiata is a deep-dive to consider if you are hard up with your best RB options on bye. That said, he should have a relatively high floor as he is the lone fully healthy RB the Vikes have used extensively this year. Best case for owners is the Vikes D shuts down the Bears and they can afford to pound the Bears D into the ground with repeated doses of the bruiser.

7. Jack Doyle – TE – Ind vs. KC: Doyle has become a favorite red zone target for QB Andrew Luck, not surprising given the lack of size of the Indy WRs. He makes another solid pickup-and-play TE or even a low-end, TD-dependent flex play for this bye week.