Boy, I hope you’re ready. Week 7 of the NFL Season presents a myriad of challenges for fantasy players. We have six teams on a bye—the Bills, Cowboys, Chargers, Vikings, Jaguars, and Steelers—which is enough of a challenge before you consider the major injuries. Last night, we saw arguably the three best fantasy starts for the Browns—Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt—all out of commission. Christian McCaffrey is on IR, and he’s far from alone. Running back gets real exciting real quickly. All of it might have you throwing your hands up in frustration but never fear. But before I offer some suggestions for Week 7, let’s look back at how I did in Week 6.
For transparency purposes, we’ll measure quarterbacks and tight ends against Top 12 finishes (QB1 and TE1), and we’ll measure running backs and wide receivers against Top 24 finishes (RB1-2, WR1-2). All finishes come from Fantasy Pros PPR scoring leaders lists found here.
Starts for Week 6
QB: Kyler Murray, QB5 Hit. Murray was as good as advertised, posting a Top 5 week as the Cardinals beat the Browns.
RB: Austin Ekeler, RB30 Miss. Ekeler, like the rest of the Chargers, laid an egg Sunday.
WR: Marquise Brown, WR57 Miss. The Ravens were great, scoring 34 points, but Brown wasn’t a part of the attack.
TE: Dawson Knox, TE23 Miss. Knox has been great, but a broken hand limited his ability to contribute.
Record: 1-3
Sits for Week 6
QB: Justin Fields, QB18 Hit. I like Fields as a prospect, but he’s not there yet. Facing the Packers didn’t get him there. He was a solid low-end QB2, but that’s it.
RB: Josh Jacobs, RB19 Miss. Jacobs didn’t have great yardage numbers but ended up doing just enough, including scoring a touchdown, to get into RB2 range.
WR: Allen Robinson, WR47 Hit. I love Robinson’s talent, but his pass offense and role in it aren’t robust enough.
TE: Austin Hooper, TE48 Hit. Hooper hasn’t been a reliable target based on volume, which didn’t change in Week 6.
Record: 3-1
QUARTERBACKS
Start: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
About: I know, the Ravens shut down Justin Herbert in Week 6 after he looked like an MVP candidate the first five weeks. That gives me a bit of pause, but there are a lot of quarterbacks unavailable this week and a few others with undesirable matchups. Burrow has been solid, sitting as QB12 through six weeks. I think he and the Bengals’ pass offense will show up on Sunday for a fierce divisional battle.
Sit: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
About: Goff was once the franchise quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams but was traded to Detroit this off-season. Now, he returns to Los Angeles a week after his new coach called him out, saying he needs to be better. Will it motivate Goff? It could, as could a return to Los Angeles. But he’s QB25 through six weeks, and I don’t see him getting past the Rams’ defense to finish Top 12.
RUNNING BACKS
Start: Darrell Henderson, Jr, Los Angeles Rams
About: Henderson ended up as the last man standing for the Rams and their backfield; the question was what his usage would be. He’s been limited to just five games due to injury, and yet he sits as RB13 on the season. When he’s available, he’s being used as a runner and receiver. Henderson was RB5 in Week 6, and he’s good to go in Week 7 facing a mediocre Lions’ defense.
Sit: Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins
About: Oh, Myles… It would be great to feel confident starting a guy you thought would finish as an RB2 before the season in a week with this many byes and injuries. The problem is Gaskin’s usage has been all over the board. Gaskin was RB39 through the first four weeks, then exploded in Week 5 with Jacoby Brissett. He finished as RB2 in Week 5 and seemed like he was on the way back… then last week in London; with the return of Tua Tagovailoa and him throwing for 300-plus yards, Gaskin saw five carries for nine yards and caught two passes for five yards. He’s not getting the consistent volume which makes him a dart throw start at best. Even in a time of desperation, I’d look elsewhere.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Start: Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams
About: Woods got off to a bit of a slower start to the season, but he’s been hot the past three weeks. Since Week 4, Woods is WR12, and I suspect that continues in Week 7 as Matthew Stafford faces his old team, the Detroit Lions. With byes and injuries rocking all the positions in Week 7, I like Woods to return value and be a solid starting option.
Sit: Corey Davis, New York Jets
About: Davis has arguably been the best receiver for the Jets. He’s recorded 20 receptions for 302 yards and three TDs in five games. Those are decent numbers despite an inconsistent Jets offense. In a compressed week, Davis may return Top 24 value or better, but I’m not betting on it against the Patriots in Week 7. When the Jets last faced the Patriots, Davis was limited to two receptions for eight yards. I think there are better options in Week 7.
TIGHT ENDS
Start: Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
About: Gesicki got off to a rough start to the season, seeing three targets without recording a single reception. That gave many a moment of pause, myself included. After an OK Week 2, Gesicki has exploded. Since Week 3, he has been TE4 on the season and now has 30 receptions for 342 yards and a touchdown. He’s been a huge part of the attack for the Dolphins and a solid option at a sometimes-difficult position.
Sit: Ross Dwelley, San Francisco 49ers
About: We’ve seen Dwelley fill in decently for the 49ers, so that was the hope for what we’d see in Week 5 as George Kittle landed on the IR. Dwelley saw only two targets playing with Trey Lance. He caught them both, but for only 25 yards. Even in a challenging position, posting fewer than five PPR points won’t cut it. Perhaps he thrives more with Jimmy Garoppolo returning, but the 49ers’ offense hasn’t been robust no matter who has been at quarterback. Dwelley feels like a bit too big a risk.
Matthew Fox is a Die-Hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
