As we enter Week 7, remember that this could be the halfway point of your fantasy regular season. It's a good time to take stock of your team. Are your concerns valid or just overreactions to one bad week?
Odell Beckham Jr. had a disappointing performance in a good matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Lots of the blame falls on Eli Manning, yet Manning hasn't come anywhere near torpedoing Beckham's season. With the Atlanta Falcons up next for the New York Giants this week, Beckham has an excellent chance to get back on track.
It won't be quite so easy for Deshaun Watson. After taking seven sacks for the second time in three games last week, Watson and the Houston Texans hit the road to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. While expectations shouldn't be high for Watson this week, his season is far from lost.
Here’s the first look at points-per-reception (PPR) rankings for Week 7. These will change throughout the week and up to Sunday's action as we get more information about injuries and limitations, so make sure to bookmark this page for my full rankings for all scoring formats.
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Top 100
I present my top 100 players (minus quarterbacks) for the week as a way to help determine your flex spots. You may favor a certain position or player over another based on his role and/or your scoring rules.
As an additional tiebreaker, here are the teams I like as a whole this week based on their matchups:
- Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
- Cincinnati Bengals (at Kansas City Chiefs)
- Los Angeles Rams (at San Francisco 49ers)
- Cleveland Browns (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Minnesota Vikings (at New York Jets)
Quarterbacks
Better Than Usual
# | Player (team) |
---|---|
1 | Patrick Mahomes (KC) |
2 | Matt Ryan (ATL) |
3 | Tom Brady (NE) |
4 | Jared Goff (LAR) |
5 | Kirk Cousins (MIN) |
6 | Cam Newton (CAR) |
7 | Andy Dalton (CIN) |
8 | Drew Brees (NO) |
9 | Philip Rivers (LAC) |
10 | Matthew Stafford (DET) |
11 | Andrew Luck (IND) |
12 | Carson Wentz (PHI) |
13 | Baker Mayfield (CLE) |
14 | Joe Flacco (BAL) |
15 | Jameis Winston (TB) |
16 | Deshaun Watson (HOU) |
17 | Mitchell Trubisky (CHI) |
18 | Eli Manning (NYG) |
19 | C.J. Beathard (SF) |
20 | Blake Bortles (JAC) |
21 | Alex Smith (WAS) |
22 | Dak Prescott (DAL) |
23 | Case Keenum (DEN) |
24 | Marcus Mariota (TEN) |
25 | Brock Osweiler (MIA) |
26 | Josh Rosen (ARI) |
27 | Sam Darnold (NYJ) |
28 | Nathan Peterman (BUF) |
Running Backs
Better Than Usual
David Johnson, ARI (vs. DEN)
Typically, if a running back is in this category, he's getting a strong endorsement to come through as a reliable part of your starting lineup. Johnson is in this category strictly because the matchup dictates he should be, not because there's a lot of confidence in him, or should I say in his team.
Other than saving some fantasy value, the one-yard touchdown Johnson scored with 6:57 to go in last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings didn't have any effect on the result of the game. He carried 18 times for 55 yards and added just two receptions for 15 yards on five targets. Through six games, Johnson has 92 carries for 297 yards (3.2 yards per carry) and five rushing touchdowns. He hasn't run for more than 71 yards in a game, which came on a 22-carry effort in Week 4.
You can put a good chunk of the blame on the offensive line for Johnson's rushing woes, but that doesn't explain his lack of production as a receiver. Somehow, Johnson has just 17 receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown on 27 targets. He hasn't had a game with more than 41 receiving yards. He has just one game with five receptions and just two games with at least five targets. Amazingly, Johnson is fourth on the team with 27 targets. In 2016, he averaged 7.5 targets, 5.0 receptions and 54.9 receiving yards per game.
With all this information laid out, you can see why Johnson has been disappointing. However, this week's matchup gives Johnson a golden opportunity to have his best rushing performance of the season. In six weeks, no team has allowed more rushing production to running backs than the Denver Broncos. They've given up 909 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Over 60 percent (550) of those yards and three of those touchdowns came in the last two weeks against Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell and Todd Gurley.
If the Cardinals can't find a way to get one of the best running backs in the league going on the ground in this matchup, then there's no hope for him this season to be anything more than a touchdown-reliant fantasy option on a bad team. He's looking better than usual because the usual hasn't been anywhere near his potential.
Philip Lindsay, DEN (at ARI)
For the first time since he was ejected in Week 3, Lindsay had fewer carries than Royce Freeman in a Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Of course, neither player did anything of note, with Lindsay carrying four times for 18 yards and Freeman carrying nine times for 22 yards. Lindsay salvaged some value with six receptions for 48 yards on seven targets, while Freeman didn't get a target. That gives Lindsay a 13-touch advantage over Freeman for the season.
That keeps the two close, although it's hard not to favor Lindsay as the top fantasy option in this backfield until Freeman starts consistently and decisively out-touching and out-snapping him. With Lindsay still favored, he has to get a boost from this week's matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. After the Broncos, no team has allowed more rushing yards (832) to running backs this season than the Cardinals, and they've allowed a league-high 10 rushing touchdowns and the most fantasy points per game. It's a good week to have Lindsay in your lineup.
Concern
Dalvin Cook, MIN (at NYJ)
All signs were pointing to Cook's return to action in Week 6 after he missed Weeks 3 and 5 and had a limited role in Week 4 due to a hamstring injury. While Cook was not considered 100 percent, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on October 13 that he was expected to play as much as half the offensive snaps against the Arizona Cardinals. The next day, Schefter reported that Cook's pregame workout "did not go well" and that his "hamstring acted up," which made him inactive.
Trusting Cook to be out there in Week 7 will be hard to do following the change in his status that came down just hours before he was expected to play. Plus, it's fair to wonder if the team will push him that hard after Latavius Murray rushed for 155 yards and a score on 24 carries in the Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals. This is a situation to watch closely throughout the week.
Sleeper
Ito Smith, ATL (vs. NYG)
It wasn't much, but with 11 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown in addition to two receptions for negative-one yard, Smith posted 10.1 fantasy points in Week 6, which made him the No. 25 running back for the week. That means if you played as an RB3/flex, he came through with a good performance. The score was Smith's third in the last three games. His 14 red-zone carries lead the Atlanta Falcons and double Tevin Coleman's total in that part of the field.
Smith's value rose when Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported the Falcons were sending Devonta Freeman (groin, foot) to the injured reserve. Freeman will be eligible to return after eight weeks, so for the next two months Tevin Coleman and Smith will have to pick up the slack, although they've been doing that for most of this season with Freeman inactive in four of the team's six games.
Smith had more carries than Coleman in Week 6 (11-10), although Coleman had more rushing yards (35-22). Smith did have his highest snap share of the season with 46.3 percent while Coleman checked in at 56.7 percent. The snaps and touches are close enough to put Smith on the fantasy radar once again this weekend against the New York Giants. They are a bottom-12 defense against fantasy running backs this season, so the matchup is nothing to worry about, and Smith has been involved the most where it counts. Don't be afraid to flex him in Week 7.
Wide Receivers
Better Than Usual
Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (at ATL)
Beckham is a must-start every week, yet it seems like some of his fantasy owners need encouragement after a rough game against the Philadelphia Eagles. A positive matchup resulted in just six receptions for 44 yards on 10 targets. Beckham's 10.4 fantasy points was his worst output since he had jus four receptions for 51 yards on nine targets (9.1 fantasy points) in Week 2. Of course, he also has three games with at least 109 yards and is averaging 11.5 targets per game.
The quality of those targets could be better, and that falls on the struggles of Eli Manning. However, Beckham's Week 1 performance of 11 receptions for 111 yards on 15 targets came against the league's toughest defense against fantasy wide receivers in the Jacksonville Jaguars. The point is that Beckham can still put up strong numbers in any given week, and on Monday night, he should have a great chance to bounce back in Atlanta. The Falcons have the fourth-worst defense against fantasy wide receivers on the season. Renew your confidence in Beckham and expect big things.
John Brown and Michael Crabtree, BAL (vs. NO)
Brown and Crabtree land in this category as the top targets of Joe Flacco in an attractive matchup with the Saints in Week 7. While Brown was down last week (two receptions, 28 yards, three targets), Crabtree had his best game of the season with six receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. That gave him a No. 13 finish and marked his fourth game with at least 12 fantasy points.
Crabtree leads the Ravens in targets (55) and receptions (30), while Brown has the most receiving yards (424) and receiving touchdowns (three) with 13.6 fantasy points per game to Crabtree's 12.7 FPG. As the lead options in Baltimore's passing game, they should be in line to both put up good numbers against the Saints. No team has yielded more fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. Boost your expectations for this Ravens receiver duo.
Concerns
Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu, ATL (vs. NYG)
The Falcons squeaked out their second win of the season last week, but not without potential losses. Ridley suffered an ankle injury that turned out to be a bone bruise, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. He'll get an extra day to recover with the Falcons playing on Monday night, although with the bye week looming, the team could consider playing it safe by resting him in Week 7.
Sanu has dealt with a hip injury for multiple weeks, and it was bad enough to force him from last week's game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was able to find the end zone on one of his two receptions totaling 46 yards, so it wasn't a complete loss, although his status remains in question for this week's game. According to Jason Butt of The Athletic, head coach Dan Quinn is "hopeful" both Sanu and Ridley can play with the extra day to get ready. Unfortunately, you may have to make a lineup decision on one or both players before Monday if you don't have other options from the Falcons or Giants.
Sleeper
Antonio Callaway, CLE (at TB)
There's nothing to be excited about when you see 15 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown in six games, so if you've been disappointed by Callaway, those feelings are warranted. If you can look past those numbers, you'll see the positive for Callaway, a total of 39 targets. Of those targets, 34 have come in the last four games, which featured Baker Mayfield. After Jarvis Landry (66) and David Njoku (46), Callaway has the most targets for the Browns.
That becomes more important when you see that Derrick Willies (shoulder) is on injured reserve and Rashard Higgins (knee) is expected to miss this week's game against the Buccaneers. In five games, Tampa Bay surrendered 85 receptions, 1,020 yards, 10 touchdowns and the second-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. This is the opportunity Callaway needs to have a true breakout game.
With lots of injuries around the league and key fantasy teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers on the bye, you should consider Callaway for one of the last spots in your lineup.
Tight Ends
Better Than Usual
David Njoku, CLE (at TB)
Believing in Njoku no longer feels like a big reach. That's because he's been Baker Mayfield's best receiver in the rookie's first three starts. During that span, Njoku has 18 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown on 30 targets. He leads the team in targets, receptions and yards over those three contests and is the No. 6 fantasy tight end. That run has also boosted him to the No. 10 tight end spot for the season, so he's in the starting conversation with a chance to boost his value Sunday.
He draws the best possible matchup for a tight end with a trip to Tampa Bay to face the putrid Buccaneers defense. No team has given up more fantasy points per game to the position than the Buccaneers thanks to 36 receptions, 486 yards and three touchdowns allowed in five games. Last week, Austin Hooper got them for nine receptions, 71 yards and a touchdown. Keep believing in Njoku and reap the benefits.
Concern
Evan Engram, NYG (at ATL)
The sprained MCL Engram suffered in Week 3 has kept him out for the last three games, although it appeared he had a shot to return in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Playing on Thursday wouldn't have helped his cause, and he'll get an extra day to get ready when the Giants play the Falcons on Monday night. Of course, that also means you may have to make a call on using Engram or another tight end before Monday unless you can fall back on someone such as Hooper.
Based on the matchup, Engram looks like a potential fantasy starter. The Falcons gave up five receptions, 77 yards and two touchdowns to O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate last week, as their depleted defense continues to struggle. Besides the injury to Engram, Eli Manning's play remains a concern, as does the fact that Engram will share targets with Odell Beckham Jr. (69), Saquon Barkley (51) and Sterling Shepard (43). Engram had 10 receptions for 104 yards and a score on 13 targets in the first three games.
Hopefully, the Giants see enough during the week to clear Engram before the Sunday contests. If that's the case, he'll be a low-end starting option.
Sleeper
C.J. Uzomah, CIN (at KC)
If you took a shot on Uzomah against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he came through with six receptions for 54 yards on seven targets to post 11.4 fantasy points. That gave him the No. 13 spot among tight ends, although in most weeks, that production would have been good enough for a top-10 fantasy performance.
With Jimmy Graham, Vance McDonald and Jared Cook on byes, Uzomah might be worth another shot with a trip to Kansas City on tap for the Bengals in Week 7. Only the Buccaneers and Steelers have allowed more fantasy points per game with tight ends this season, so in a potential high-scoring affair, Uzomah has an opportunity to come through for a second straight week.
# | Player (team) |
---|---|
1 | Travis Kelce (KC) |
2 | Zach Ertz (PHI) |
3 | Rob Gronkowski (NE) |
4 | Eric Ebron (IND) |
5 | David Njoku (CLE) |
6 | George Kittle (SF) |
7 | Trey Burton (CHI) |
8 | O.J. Howard (TB) |
9 | Austin Hooper (ATL) |
10 | Jordan Reed (WAS) |
11 | C.J. Uzomah (CIN) |
12 | Kyle Rudolph (MIN) |
13 | Greg Olsen (CAR) |
14 | Cameron Brate (TB) |
15 | Evan Engram (NYG) |
16 | Charles Clay (BUF) |
17 | Ricky Seals-Jones (ARI) |
18 | Geoff Swaim (DAL) |
19 | Benjamin Watson (NO) |
20 | Jeff Heuerman (DEN) |
21 | Dallas Goedert (PHI) |
22 | Antonio Gates (LAC) |
23 | Vernon Davis (WAS) |
24 | Mike Gesicki (MIA) |
25 | Hayden Hurst (BAL) |
26 | Gerald Everett (LAR) |
Defenses
Best Streaming Option
Indianapolis Colts (vs. BUF)
Even before Josh Allen went down with an elbow injury last week, the Buffalo Bills had been a regular target for fantasy defenses. This season, no team has allowed more fantasy points per game to defenses than the Bills thanks to 24 sacks, nine interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown allowed.
Of course, that score came last week when Nathan Peterman relieved the injured Allen and threw a pick-six to clinch a 20-13 victory for the Houston Texans. Whether the Bills stick with Peterson or turn to Derek Anderson, they'll provide an attractive matchup for the Colts.
Ownership percentage: ESPN, 7.1; Yahoo, 10.0
Other streaming options: Denver Broncos (at ARI), Dallas Cowboys (at WAS)
# | Player (team) |
---|---|
1 | Los Angeles Rams (at SF) |
2 | Minnesota Vikings (at NYJ) |
3 | Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. HOU) |
4 | Houston Texans (at JAC) |
5 | Indianapolis Colts (vs. BUF) |
6 | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. TEN) |
7 | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CAR) |
8 | Denver Broncos (at ARI) |
9 | Dallas Cowboys (at WAS) |
10 | Buffalo Bills (at IND) |
11 | Detroit Lions (at MIA) |
12 | New York Jets (vs. MIN) |
13 | New England Patriots (at CHI) |
14 | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DEN) |
15 | Baltimore Ravens (vs. NO) |
16 | Chicago Bears (vs. NE) |
17 | Cleveland Browns (at TB) |
18 | Carolina Panthers (at PHI) |
19 | Washington Redskins (vs. DAL) |
20 | Atlanta Falcons (vs. NYG) |
Kickers
Best Streaming Option
Brandon McManus, DEN (at ARI)
The Denver Broncos deserve plenty of criticism for what's turning into another underwhelming season, but they've been good enough to rank as a top-12 offense in total yards per game. That means there's room for optimism regarding McManus in this week's contest against the Arizona Cardinals. McManus hasn't missed a kick this season with 12 extra points and 10 field goals. He should get more chances against a Cardinals defense that allows the ninth-most yards per contest.
Ownership percentages: ESPN, 9.3; Yahoo, 35.0
# | Player (team) |
---|---|
1 | Harrison Butker (KC) |
2 | Stephen Gostkowski (NE) |
3 | Justin Tucker (BAL) |
4 | Adam Vinatieri (IND) |
5 | Wil Lutz (NO) |
6 | Jake Elliott (PHI) |
7 | Dan Bailey (MIN) |
8 | Greg Zuerlein (LAR) |
9 | Brandon McManus (DEN) |
10 | Brett Maher (DAL) |
11 | Matt Prater (DET) |
12 | Randy Bullock (CIN) |
13 | Josh Lambo (JAC) |
14 | Graham Gano (CAR) |
15 | Chandler Catanzaro (TB) |
16 | Michael Badgley (LAC) |
17 | Cody Parkey (CHI) |
18 | Dustin Hopkins (WAS) |
19 | Aldrick Rosas (NYG) |
20 | Greg Joseph (CLE) |
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