It's time for the Week 7 installment of Monday night matchups with my start/sit recommendations. This week, it's a clash of two division leaders as the Houston Texans travel to the Mile High city to battle the Denver Broncos.
Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down every game and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and injury information as well. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.
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Texans @ Broncos - Monday 10/24 @ 8:30 PM EST
Matchups We Love
C.J. Anderson (RB, DEN) - He may hear Devontae Booker's footsteps sneaking up on him, but Anderson remains the lead back in Denver. The Texans are 26th against the run in terms of rushing yards allowed and are missing top DE J.J. Watt. While Anderson has only run for 78 yards in the last two games combined, he has only gotten 21 carries in those games as the Broncos faced negative game scripts. Booker will takes some snaps away, but there should be enough running room to keep Anderson a worthy starter.
Lamar Miller (RB, HOU) - Miller's breakout game as a Texan came last week with 149 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. If he is going to turn a corner and redeem himself as the RB1 we all expected, this is the perfect time to do so. Denver is actually just a middle of the pack defense against the run, ranking 13th in fantasy points allowed to RB and 17th in rushing yards allowed. In a game that figures to be a low-scoring affair, the running game will be key and Miller should be leaned on heavily. Expect 20+ carries and around five targets.
Matchups We Hate
Brock Osweiler (QB, HOU) - Who is going to be more motivated here? Osweiler, facing the team he jilted in free agency or the defense of the team he walked away from? Truth be told, it doesn't really matter. The fact is that the Broncos still boast one of the best defenses in the league, allowing 13.1 fantasy PPG and a 4/5 TD/INT ratio to opposing QBs. Osweiler showed some moxie last week by rallying his team from behind, but has also been extremely inconsistent this season. Don't think that some sort of internal motivation to face his former team while outweigh the fact he has been mediocre at best this season.
Trevor Siemian (QB, DEN) - Even without Watt, the Texans held their own last week against the Colts. They limited Andrew Luck to 231 passing yards in a dramatic overtime victory. Aside from his four TD outburst in Week 3, Siemian hasn't thrown multiple TD in any other game. Despite putting the ball in the air a whopping 50 times last week, Siemian managed just 230 yards and a touchdown. Against a tough D like Houston, he is best left on the bench.
Emmanuel Sanders (WR, DEN) - Sanders has seen his production decline each of the past three weeks since his 117 yard, two TD game against Cincy. Just as his receptions have dropped in that span (9, 8, 7, 4), so have his targets (13, 13, 9, 6). Even in choice matchups against Atlanta and San Diego, the Denver passing game hasn't looked the same since the Siemian injury. Sanders himself left early in last week's game, but is probable for Week 7. Even if QB and WR are 100%, the Texans' stingy pass defense may limit his output once again.
Will Fuller (WR, HOU) - Fuller has impressed early in his rookie campaign, but will face his new nemesis once again this week: the road game. At home, Fuller has posted games of 107, 104, and 81 yards with two touchdowns. On the road, Fuller put up 31 yards in Week 3, followed by a one catch, four yard effort last week. Against the Broncos' top-notch secondary, the rookie should be left alone.
Notable Players
Devontae Booker (RB, DEN) - A changing of the guard isn't imminent, but Booker is one of the most tantalizing handcuffs around. He is yet to receive double-digit carries in a game, so he has little fantasy relevance until the Broncos decide to make him a bigger part of the offense. Keep an eye on the RB snap situation in Denver, as it could be one to monitor as the year goes on.
Key Injuries: Jonathan Grimes (RB, HOU) - out, Cody Latimer (WR, DEN) - questionable, Emmanuel Sanders (WR, DEN) - probable, Will Fuller (WR, HOU) - probable