Five Week 6 standouts anchor Week 7 starts and sits: Kimani Vidal flashed as a short-term Chargers spark, Bam Knight nudged into fantasy relevance for the Cardinals as injuries shuffled roles, Kayshon Boutte delivered a boom game for New England but remains a boom-or-bust bet, Ladd McConkey finally capitalized with Johnston sidelined, and Michael Mayer flashed ceiling value for Las Vegas as a streaming TE. Mahomes remains the constant floor-raising pivot in a week shaping up with mix-and-match starts.

Vidal’s sustained value hinges on the Chargers’ backfield chaos (Harris out; Hampton limited). Knight is touchdown-dependent and best kept in emergency flex or if Demercado misses. Boutte’ s volatility persists despite big yardage and two TDs. McConkey offers upside when Johnston sits but could fade when the full receiver corps is healthy. Mayer is a speculative TE2 until Bowers returns, offering a high ceiling week if target share stays elevated.

Week 7 decisions will hinge on matchup and usage, with the Who Should I Start tool underscoring a need to weigh recent volume against role stability. The core five players remain the focal point for lineup-shaping fantasy managers this week.