Fantasy football: Peoples-Jones among must-start wide receivers for Week 7

MIAMI, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Donovan Peoples-Jones is among my must-start wide receivers for Week 7 of the 2022 fantasy football season.

Each of my must-start pass catchers ranks inside the top 42 of my rankings, which means they should be in lineups for leagues with at least 14 teams that can start up to three wide receivers.

Cincinnati Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase is the top player in my overall Top 50 wide receiver rankings for Week 7. Davante Adams, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Tyreek Hill also are in my Top 5.

Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, Brandon Aiyuk and Allen Lazard are among my Top 10 options and should be in every starting lineup.

Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Allen Robinson are among the wide receivers who should be out of fantasy football lineups as the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles will each serve Week 7 byes.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) is my top option for Week 7. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI

Ja'Marr Chase

Chase should never leave lineups, but he could provide a gigantic advantage this week in your head-to-head matchup. The Cincinnati Bengals playmaker totaled 129 yards and a score in his 2022 debut, but failed to eclipse 81 yards in his next four games.

Chase, who is tied with Justin Jefferson for the fifth-most targets (63) in the NFL, then exploded for a season-high 132 yards and two scores on seven catches in Week 6. Look for Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow to build upon that rapport this week, when the Bengals host the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons allowed a league-high 92 catches, tied for allowing the third-most touchdown catches (eight) and surrendered the sixth-most receiving yards (1,077 yards) and fantasy points per game to wide receivers through six weeks.

They also just allowed San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to throw for 296 yards. Look for Burrow, who threw for 300 yards and three scores, to log another 300-yard performance this week. Much of that total should be spread between Chase and fellow Bengals pass catcher Tee Higgins. I expect both to find the end zone.

Higgins and Chase are both inside my Top 10.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup can be used this week as a fantasy football WR2/WR3. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI

Michael Gallup

CeeDee Lamb was the Dallas Cowboys' top target, with 60 looks through six weeks, the seventh-most in the league. I prefer Michael Gallup this week, especially if quarterback Dak Prescott returns to the Cowboys lineup.

The Cowboys will host the Detroit Lions in Week 7. The Lions allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game through their first five matchups this season.

Look for Gallup, my No. 19 option, to find the end zone for his first score of 2022. He can be plugged in as a WR2 or WR3.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) was one of my top waiver-wire targets for Week 7. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI

Donovan Peoples-Jones

Peoples-Jones was one of my favorite waiver-wire pickups and is a great streaming option if your normal starter is on bye. The Cleveland Browns wide receiver lands as the No. 24 player in my Week 7 rankings. He can be plugged in as a WR2 or WR3 this week due to a great matchup and his recent play.

The Browns will face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore. The Ravens allowed the second-most receiving yards and allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game through six weeks.

They also allowed at least two total scores to opposing quarterbacks in three-consecutive games, which was why Browns passer Jacoby Brissett was also one of my favorite waiver-wire targets.

Peoples-Jones is the second-most targeted Browns pass catcher entering Week 7. He logged at least 50 receiving yards in four of his six games so far, including in each of his past three appearances.

Look for the Browns playmaker to find the end zone for his first score of the season this week in a very favorable matchup. He also should get at least 10 targets and surpass 70 receiving yards.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Valdes-Scantling is my No. 28 play for Week 7 and can be used as a WR2/WR3 streamer in leagues with at least 14 teams. The Kansas City Chiefs pass catcher failed to catch any of his three targets in Week 6, but totaled at least 44 yards in four of his five previous games.

This week, the Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have a very strong defense overall this season, but just allowed two passing scores to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Look for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to surpass that touchdown total Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif. Valdes-Scantling will get several opportunities to come down with one of those scores.

Rondale Moore

Moore is the No. 31 play for Week 7. The Arizona Cardinals playmaker should be in line for additional targets due to the foot injury wide receiver Marquise Brown sustained in Week 6.

DeAndre Hopkins will come off a suspension in Week 7, but I think he will be slow to return to his normal form. Moore received 18 targets over his last two games. He totaled 12 catches for 117 yards off of those looks.

Look for Moore to see at least 10 targets this week against the New Orleans Saints, who could be without star cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

The Saints also allowed the third-most receiving yards and seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through six games, with Lattimore appearing in five of those contests.

Moore can be plugged in as a WR3.

Week 7 fantasy football wide receiver rankings1

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. ATL

2. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders vs. HOU

3. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at CAR

4. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. KC

5. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. PIT

6. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals vs. ATL

7. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts at TEN

8. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks at LAC

9. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers vs. KC

10. Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers at WAS

11. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at DAL

12. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at CAR

13. Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans at LV

14. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers at MIA

15. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks at LAC

16. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers vs. SEA

17. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints at ARI

18. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons at CIN

19. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys vs. DET

20. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. NYG

21. Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions at DAL

22. Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears at NE

23. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos vs. NYJ

24. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns at BAL

25. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns at BAL

26. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. GB

27. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers at WAS

28. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kansas City Chiefs at SF

29. Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens vs. CLE

30. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys vs. DET

31. Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals vs. NO

32. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts at TEN

33. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers vs. SEA

34. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. PIT

35. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals vs. NO

36. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers vs. TB

37. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers at MIA

38. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals vs. ATL

39. Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants at JAX

40. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. NYJ

41. Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs at SF

42. Robert Woods, Tennessee Titans vs. IND

43. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets at DEN

44. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers vs. SEA

45. Darius Slayton, New York Giants at JAX

46. Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders vs. HOU

47. Nico Collins, Houston Texans at LV

48. DeVante Parker, New England Patriots vs. CHI

49. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers at MIA

50. Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders vs. GB