When the Jaguars open up Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season in New Orleans on "Thursday Night Football" (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video), they -- and fantasy football owners -- will be hoping to have quarterback Trevor Lawrence (knee) healthy enough to start and build on a three-game winning streak.
Lawrence is hoping to go after getting hurt late in Week 6 vs. the Colts. That would make sure his passing game assets are in the best possible position to succeed in a tough defensive matchup on the road. Counterpart Derek Carr is playing through a right shoulder ailment, too.
Both the Jaguars and Saints are battling key offensive line and defensive injuries going into the game, which also could affect the production one way or another. Who should you play in fantasy in Week 7 from this matchup, either in seasonal leagues or daily fantasy single-game slates on DraftKings and FanDuel? Here's a mini-Decider to help you get your week started off well on TNF:
MORE THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Props | ATS pick | Lawrence update | Williams update
Jaguars: Who to start, sit in fantasy football on TNF
Sit: QB Trevor Lawrence
Lawrence is just outside of top-12 status with his QB15 mark after six games. He's playing well in reality, but his TDs and yardage are being a bit curbed by inconsistency from receivers, a strong running game, and a takeaway-fueled defense easing the burden of victory. Here, he'll be trying to grind through a tough knee injury against a tricky pass rush with his guards hurting. Lawrence will be a facilitator, but you can do better even during a big bye week with a pile of QB injuries.
WEEK 7 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start 'em, sit 'em
Start: RB Travis Etienne
Etienne is the RB3 on the scoring list in half-point PPR, trailing only Christian McCaffrey and Raheem Mostert. He's coming off two masssive rushing and receiving efforts against the Bills and Colts. He's also a native of Jennings, La., so will feel right at home in the dome in New Orleans with family in force. The Saints are starting to leak more against the run, and Etienne can't be denied with his strength and explosiveness.
Start: WR Calvin Ridley
Ridley's start shouldn't be considered disastrous if you drafted him as a second receiver. He's 25th at the position in half-point PPR scoring, just outside out of that WR2 range. The frustration comes from the boom-or-bust nature of his production. This isn't the easiest spot on the outside against the corners, but he can come through with decent volume. Expect another WR3-type game as the floor.
WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Start: WR Christian Kirk
Kirk is the best fantasy receiver in Jacksonville again, six spots ahead of Ridley, suggesting the even distribution of key production between the top two receivers depends on cornerback matchups. Kirk has been helped by working the slot well with no Zay Jones (knee) to cut into his complementary targets. The Saints are most vulnerable in the slot, so Kirk should outlast Ridley again.
Start: TE Evan Engram
The Saints are typically a strong defense at covering tight ends, but they've given up recent TDs to Cade Otton and Dalton Schultz. Engram isn't scoring TDs, but he's involved consistently as a top-three option behind the wideouts. He's a borderline back-end stater again with a limited ceiling.
WEEK 7 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Start: K Brandon McManus
McManus has been racking up the points away from the Broncos and the Mile High boost. He's a solid weekly starter because of the offensive firepower and his big kicking range. Being indoors is a boost this week.
Start: Jaguars D/ST
The Jaguars lead the NFL with 15 takeaways with their eight fumble recoveries and seven interceptions. They have had only one bad game vs. their nemeses, the Texans. The young playmakers are faring well, taking advantage of stopping the run well, pass-rushing, and covering. They are hurt a little with top cornerback Tyson Campbell hamstrung, but this is still a playable unit against a stagnant offense.
WEEK 7 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Saints: Who to start, sit in fantasy football on TNF
Sit: QB Derek Carr
Carr isn't playing well, and this isn't exactly a get-well defense. He's missing throws and isn't comfortable under pressure. He's QB25 on the season, not even good enough to be "superflexed" on the regular. The numbers and byes say you might be able to stream him, but don't be shocked if the league's most unpredictable passer lays a TNF egg.
Start: RB Alvin Kamara
Kamara, after missing three games, is off to an outstanding start, standing as the RB10 in average half-point PPR points per game. He's getting most of the volume, and that isn't changing regardless of Jamaal Williams' (hamstring) status. Kamara's also been eating up the receptions like the old days, as Carr is struggling to push the ball well downfield. The Jaguars are a tough run D, but Kamara is getting the touches to compile.
Start: WR Chris Olave
Olave gets a break here with Campbell hurting. Recent No. 1s Michael Pittman Jr., Stefon Diggs, and Drake London have put together strong fantasy games on this secondary, partly because those teams were all losing to the Jaguars. That scenario can play out here with Olave seeing 10-12 targets. He can go 6-100 with a good shot at a TD with that kind of workload.
Sit: WR Rashid Shaheed
Shaheed scored on another big play last week, but Carr and the Saints got a break when a Texans defender fell down. He also zipped to a nice rushing gain. However, he's always boom-or-bust, and it feels like the latter is coming this week.
Sit: WR Michael Thomas
Thomas' revival in the offense just hasn't happened between Olave and Shaheed. Whoever's healthy at tight end is also producing more. Thomas can be dropped even in shallow leagues.
Start (in deeper leagues): TE Taysom Hill
Hill was deployed as their top tight end last week with Juwan Johnson (calf) shelved and Foster Moreau getting limited usage. Hill's hybrid status also says he can more involved again as a passer and runner. This seems like the ideal matchup to get Hill going for a prime-time spark that can easily include a TD.
Start: K Blake Grupe
Grupe, like McManus, has been a solid starting option in most leagues because of the Saints moving the ball but also bogging down in the red zone. He's been pretty sharp, and he can deliver in the dome.
Start: Saints D/ST
The Saints have been a solid weekly play because of their talent, but there is some concern here with Demario Davis hurt vs. a potent offense. Just hope for backend D/ST1 production (top 12) with a shot for a big game should Lawrence become a late scratch.
Jaguars vs. Saints: DraftKings Showdown lineup
- Captain (1.5X): Saints WR Chris Olave $13,500
- FLEX: Saints RB Alvin Kamara $10,400
- FLEX: Jaguars RB Travis Etienne $10,200
- FLEX: Saints TE Taysom Hill $6,200
- FLEX: Jaguars TE Evan Engram $5,800
- FLEX: Jaguars D/ST $3,800
Olave is a good pivot, and yes, it's OK not to use the QBs in a game with a low-scoring total. Kamara and Etienne is the real duel here, and the defenses have appeal in correlation. Hill and Engram are the affordable pivots from putting other wideouts with Olave.
Jaguars vs. Saints: FanDuel single-game lineup
- MVP (1.5X): Saints WR Chris Olave $12,000
- AnyFLEX: Jaguars RB Travis Etienne $15,500
- AnyFLEX: Saints RB Alvin Kamara $15,000
- AnyFLEX: Jaguars D/ST $6,500
- AnyFLEX: Saints TE Taysom Hill $8,000
The same thoughts go into this construction, only without room for Engram. Olave has a shot to dominate targets and deliver even if Carr bombs overall.
