Welcome to Fantasy Life's Start/Sit column, where John Laghezza and Gene Clemons go deep with non-obvious, outside-the-box lineup tips. John is a numbers guy, Gene is a football coach in the truest sense of the word – what more could you want?

Fully dive into the data behind your biggest start/sit dilemmas with our Start/Sit tool and get player-versus-player comparisons and verdicts on who's the best start!

Starting RBs: Tyler Allgeier, Miles Sanders… and more

Using a weighted mix of over a dozen different advanced stats on each side of the ball, I put every defense in the league into a reverse strength rating – all to point fantasy players of every league size toward the right start/sit answers this weekend .

1. Hawks (at SEA) – Atlanta has one of the best RB tandems in the game today and those traits should be on full display again this weekend. Seattle's run stoppers have played small so far, being one of only two teams to allow +5.0 yards/rush, +1.8 yards from contact/rush and seven runs of +20 yards on the season. Bijan Robinson is a weekly no-brainer, but it can also take you back to the well Tyler Allgeier Also this Sunday.
2. Panthers (at WAS) – Jayden Daniels and the Commanders continue to be a true gift to fantasy football – from all angles. Washington's interior D has struggled to stop the run and could now be without up to three starting DEs. Expect Carolina's plan to include the ground game so the defense can stay rested against a highly efficient WAS offense. Chuba Hubbard advances to RB1 status, poised for a third top-five RB finish this season – and the deepest leagues might even consider it Miles Sanders as a piece of desperation.
3. Broncos (at NO) – New Orleans has allowed over 100 points in just three weeks thanks to one of the NFL's worst rush defenses. Over the last month, these Saints ranked 30th or worse in rush yards (169), yards/rush (5.9), yards before (2.8) and after (3.2) contact per rush, +20 yards -Carries and rushing TDs. Blow away the dust Javonte Williams for a start in Week 7.

QBs/WRs/TEs: “Start DeMario Douglas aggressively”

1. Patriots (at JAC) – Drake Maye Shined with points in his debut against a very strong HOU defense and immediately made several pass catchers a fantasy world. This is especially fun because Patriot WRs continue to be widely available. start De Mario Douglas aggressive. He could be a must-have by Monday – the Jaguars' pass defense ranks last in passing yards allowed and defensive EPA/dropback.
2. privateer (vs. BAL) – Get your popcorn, the circus is coming to town. Only three teams combined to average a game score of 53, and two of them will meet on Sunday in Baltimore. Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were always must-haves – but this is the week to dig deeper into the pantry Cade Otton And Sterling Shepard.
3. Broncos (at NO) – I've counted down some of the Saints' terrible defensive stats, but it doesn't stop at the top seven. New Orleans allowed three passers with more than 310 yards in four games, and their bottom-five tackle rate led straight to a league-worst 7.2 yards after catch per reception. Courtland Sutton has to start almost anywhere, but my sneakiest low FLEX starts Devaughn Vele.

Gene's Bold Prediction: Starting Tyrone Tracy Jr. RB, Giants

Sometimes when you're looking for a starting player and have limited options in a big league, you have to be ready to charge straight into the belly of the beast. That's what makes Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s start against the Eagles stand out. Not because the Eagles' defense has failed this year – but because of all the things surrounding this game: the return of Saquon Barkley, the need to establish the Eagles' dominance in the NFC East, and the recent news that The team will be without left tackle Andrew Thomas for the remainder of the season due to a foot injury.

Ask yourself a question: Of all the fringe starters you have on your roster, who has the best chance of putting together a decent fantasy game regardless of the game's script? Tracy has value as a runner and pass receiver, and if you play in a PPR or even half-PPR format, his upside could be huge. Look at last week: He managed just 50 yards and a touchdown, but added six catches for 57 yards. Those 16 points in a standard league are good, but the 19.7 in half-PPR and 22.7 in full-PPR are even better. Even if you took away the touchdown, he still scored in double figures.

If you have a lot of receivers heading into this draft season, you'll learn a harsh truth: running back depth is sparse. If you have Tracy, you picked him up off waivers, so the fact that he's even just a fringe starter is a positive for your team. On paper, this is a favorable combination. The Eagles are allowing 146 yards on the ground and even with Devin Singletary returning, Tracy's work in the last two games should have played a role in the Giants' offense. Yes, this looks like a game with crazy circumstances, but these are the types of games that produce the most interesting results. Tracy could go out there and face Barkley on equal terms. That would be an unforgettable performance.

Avoid these RBs

1. privateer (versus BAL) – Baltimore is a combination of all the worst qualities to compete against. First, the actual run defense stifles their opponents, ranking in the top 3 in defensive rush EPA/game, rush yards allowed, yards/rush, yards before contact/rush, and success rate. Then you have Lamar Jackson on the other side of the ball, scoring nearly 30 points per game to help speed things up. Fantasy gamers will largely start out Bucky Irving (and maybe even Sean Tucker) after Sunday's eruption – but I'm looking elsewhere wherever possible.
2. Lions (vs. MIN) – Detroit meets many of the same criteria as Baltimore. The Lions do a great job of clogging up the running lanes and the offense does the rest. I'm not sure what's more impressive: the fact that only Kenneth Walker reached 80 rushing yards (no one else has over 50) or that since Kyren Williams didn't have a single RB score a dozen runs in Week 1. I know that very few players can afford to sit David Montgomery or Jahmyr Gibbs But there have been two separate weeks in which no one at that position finished in the top 12, and on Sunday it could make third place.
3. Steelers (against NYJ) — Najee Harris finally rewarded fantasy gamers after breaking the league's longest active Carry:TD drought – but it might be time to quit while you're ahead. NYJ's Run D had a dominant month-long run and was number one in yards/carry and defensive rush EPA/play. Yes, Gang Green looked a little poor at times compared to the Bills, but I think that's because of Josh Allen. Now Pittsburgh prepares us for the debut of Russell Wilson. Yes. Sit on Najee Harris and if possible Jaylen Warren everywhere else.

Avoid these QBs/WR/TEs

1. Steelers (vs. NYJ) – Josh Allen just became the first QB to throw multiple TDs against the Jets, who have yet to allow a single opposing QB pass for 231 yards. And we get Russell Wilson to handle an Arthur Smith offense averaging 167 yards through the air? No thanks, I'd like to wait and be surprised before starting someone in black and yellow this weekend. Sit George Pickens And Knock Freiermuth if you find a replacement who is league average.
2. Colts (vs. MIA) – Miami's defense remains its last redeeming quality at the moment, and frankly this unit is underrated – a good example of where defensive scoring stats can be misleading. This MIA offense without Tua Creates too many short fields to weight points too heavily. Odds-wise, the Fins are in the top 3 in pressure rate, pass yards allowed/play, snaps/splash plays, and +20 yard completions. Additionally, Indy has had issues throwing due to Anthony Richardson under center, which made the Colts' pass catchers inconsistent and prone to breakdowns this weekend. Sit Michael Pittman And Josh Downs if you can.
3. Saints (vs. DEN) – Although I just finished a pretty encouraging video thread about rookie QB Spencer Rattlerthis is a catastrophe. New Orleans will not only be without superstar WR Chris Olave, but also breakout WR Rashid Shaheed, who is out due to knee surgery. The Broncos defense would have been in a good position anyway, but now things could get ugly. Seat all your saints.

Gene's Bold Prediction: Alvin Kamara RB, Saints

The entire Broncos defense has played non-stop all season. The Broncos managed to post a 3-3 record despite the addition of Bo Nix as bargain basement Tim Tebow. Add to that the fact that the Saints' top two receivers will likely miss the game – and tell me where the Broncos' defensive attention will be focused. You guessed it, Kamara.

If I can guess what they're thinking, Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson don't strike fear in their hearts, but they know they have to answer for Kamara. Expect multiple defenders to focus on him throughout the game. If the Saints are going to have success, it won't be because Kamara makes everything happen. That would almost be a punishable offense. Who is the other explosive element a rookie quarterback can throw the ball to? Exactly. If you have other options and can afford it, you should let Kamara sit this one out.

John's parting thought: Let's go to the circus

Simply put, winning weekly fantasy matches is all about competing in the highest scoring games. Check out this beauty (you may need to zoom in a bit):

When I'm in a pinch, this is my favorite picture, when I'm at a loss for words. For easy reference, I have graphed the points scored across the league with points allowed:

Gene's parting thought

Always remember that the touchdown is the be-all and end-all in any fantasy format and that no matter how hard we try, touchdowns are unpredictable. If you're considering my bold prediction, go ahead and sit down from last week it perfectly illustrates my point. My bold prediction was to start Mark Andrews. Thanks to a 13-yard passing touchdown, he finished TE3 in standard and half-PPR formats and TE6 in full PPR formats. My bold prediction was that Terry McLaurin would sit, and that wasn't a bad idea. He finished the game with six balls for 53 yards. The problem is that two of those receptions were for a six-yard touchdown and a seven-yard touchdown. This changes the entire perception of his performance. These are the small margins that come with bold predictions. Enjoy the carnage!