Salary cap advice: Bucs' Freeman, Martin affordable Week 7 plays

When selecting a weekly team in a salary cap league, it can be wise to reverse the normal draft process. Selecting a kicker or defense first allows users to get quality picks for the minimum price while maintaining the budget to land elite runners, receivers and quarterbacks later. Give it a try.

Here is a position-by-position look at some of the best bargains entering Week 7, with prices based on current FanDuel 10-team leagues. If you're looking for a salary cap challenge, test your skills by going head-to-head with SI's Peter King in the Peter King Fantasy Challenge.

• Running backs: Even when Arian Foster has a bad game (29 yards and a season-low in fantasy points against the Packers) he has a good game (two touchdowns). That's what puts him among the fantasy elite, regardless of position. Another less costly option this week is Tampa Bay rookie Doug Martin, who gained 131 yards from scrimmage last week and now faces a Saints defense that is giving up 172.8 rushing yards per contest. Meanwhile, injuries have created value on the bargain rack, as Felix Jones fills in for DeMarco Murray against the Panthers and Montario Hardesty spells Trent Richardson against the Colts' poor rush defense. Even if Richardson plays through his rib injury, Hardesty should take on a bigger role.

• Wide receivers: There's a lot of high-end receiving talent this week, including Brandon Marshall facing the Lions after his bye week, Victor Cruz against the Redskins and A.J. Green versus a Steelers team he scored on in both meetings last year. Green Bay's James Jones is worth grabbing further down the price list, as the receiving touchdown leader faces a Rams team that will likely put top corner Cortland Finnegan on Jordy Nelson. Elsewhere, Kenny Britt should continue his rise up the receiver ranks against the Bills, while Devery Henderson who should be able to get behind the Bucs' secondary.

• Quarterbacks: Those wanting to go for broke behind center can't do much better than Drew Brees, who's coming off a bye and hopes to have Jimmy Graham back in the lineup against one of the league's easiest defenses to pass against. Brees is worth the hefty price tag. Those on a budget should look to the other sideline in that game, as Josh Freeman has two stellar wideouts in Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams; they're a handful for any secondary, but should easily exploit the lowly Saints. Other affordable options include Ryan Fitzpatrick at home against the Titans' 29th-ranked passing defense and opposite number Matt Hasselbeck against a Bills defense that has surrendered more than two passing touchdowns in each game this season.

• Tight ends: Users could go for broke with Rob Gronkowski against the Jets, but they're better off looking toward Kyle Rudolph, who leads all tight ends with five touchdowns and will save some significant coin at the same time.

• Defenses: The Packers haven't performed on a consistent basis this season, but going up against an offensively-challenged team like the Rams will do wonders for Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson & Co., who are somehow listed for the minimum this week. Other solid picks include the Cowboys against the Panthers and the Patriots against the Jets.

• Kickers: Greg Zuerlein missed three kicks last week, but one of them was a 67-yarder. While it sailed wide-left, it had the distance, showing Legatron is still among the kicking elite and is worth the extra coin this week when back inside Edward Jones Dome against the Packers. Other great options include fellow rookie Justin Tucker against the Texans and Justin Medlock versus the Cowboys.