NFLBy Bill Carroll
Week 7 is a crucible, those who play fantasy football, for many the bye weeks are an additional complication and the injuries are beginning to mount.
Week 7 Running Backs
Craig Reynolds, joins joins Jaleel McLaughlin as a fantasy football must add, but the apple of so many eyes has been Jordan Ponchez Mason. Hopefully you headed my advice about , Raheem Mostert when I wrote about him before. I also feel I was right about Jerome Ford. Despite missing out on 41% of the touches in Week 6, Jerome Ford still has produced at a rate 11.7 fantasy points per-game.
Frankly, I was too high on Miles Sanders and about right on his partner, Chuba Hubbard. I usually want to find a metric, a number a statistic to bolster my own intuition or opinion, but in the case of Elijah Mitchell, I just feel like he will out-snap Mason. Also, ankle injuries to both Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers could open the door for Zachary Evans, a seventh-round rookie to emerge. Not so long a ago he was a dynasty stash with Cam Akers, Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers all standing between him and playing time. In fantasy football and in general. life comes at you fast. I am just hesitant to buy in yet.
The final two running backs that I wish to mention are players that go against my general rules of, week 7 running back, waiver additions. My general rules are to look for explosive, young, backs in productive offenses. The thought process is that these are often backs that are the second or even third backs, with regard to touches, so either the big play ability or the greater chances for score mitigates the potential paucity of carries.
Latavius Rashard Murray just started last Sunday night and played the majority of the first quarter’s snaps, with 45 yards on 12 carries while splitting snaps evenly with the explosive, young, back, James Dalvin Cook. By the logic I previously espoused Cook, Gibbs and Mason should be the smart play, but I look at who the coach trust as much more than the talent. So far, in addition to the 49.2% offensive snap percentage of week six, he has the trust of the staff.
So far this season, Murray has 12 red-zone touches to Cook’s nine. Harris also has six on the season, while QB Josh Allen has eight carries in the red zone and three TDs. I think Murray continues to have a sizable role.
Week 7 Wide Receivers
Rashid Shaheed, Josh Downs and Kendrick L. Bourne are still available in many 10 and 12 team leagues and occasionally in 14, or more team leagues. The first two are more big play or touchdown dependent while with 7.3 targets per game, Bourne is in the same tier as such fantasy darlings as: Calvin Orin Ridley and Terry McLaurin, as well as my favorite sleeper WR Shaheed is averaging 9.5 in 1/2 point PPR, but is capable of exploding and busting. Josh Downs is settling in as the second option for the Colts.
Texans’ WR Nico Collins should not be available, but if he is, what are you waiting for? I wrote about him as well. Another possible pick up in 10-12 team leagues is Christian Justus Watson. In his second game, since returning from injury, he played 84% of the offensive snaps, was tops in targets at seven and had 91 yards receiving. While I fully understand that concern with Patrick Frank Surtain II likely to draw the coverage assignment on him in Week 7. Despite that I think that his big lay ability and size in the red-zone make him worth the risk.
I shall repeat that I still like Nathaniel “Tank Dell, but he was slumping and is now injured. But that misfortune further supports the playing of the Texans’ other WR Nico Collins who is producing 14.5 in 1/2 point PPR leagues. That is a dramatic improvement over his 7.9 average in 2022.
Week 7 Tight Ends
It is truly struggle to find consistent production at this position, even in the best years. This is not one of the best years. The fact that names like Pat Freiermuth, Dawson Knox and Logan Thomas are considered very viable waiver wire options for waiver pick ups in week 7 tells you everything.
Other than Mark Andrews, TJ Hockenson, Travis Kelce, George Kittle [barely],and Sam LaPorta are the only attractive assets at this position. Unless you have one of those players, you may be streaming based on match-ups or hoping for a young player to emerge.
Lucas Stone Musgrave, has now seen at least seven targets in two of his previous three games (a concussion in Week 4 limited him to one target). The Broncos allowed 65+ receiving yards or a touchdown in each of their last three games. For the talented rookie from Oregon State this has been a strong start as he averages 4.6 targets per game, 3.6 catches per game and 8.8 yards per catch. He could score his first NFL points in week 7.
Thomas has 26 targets to this point, 19 receptions, 9.7 yards per catch, 5.7 fantasy points per game and two touchdowns. If you need a week 7 addition, you could do worse.
Darren Waller, does lead the Giants in targets (41) and is number one at position in target share (21.8%). He’s also totaled 282 receiving yards, tied for sixth-most among tight ends. Waller is in a pedestrian offense and is still awaiting a 2023 touchdown. Week 7 could be his best chance.
Week 7 D/ST
In deeper leagues it is a scramble to secure the better D/ST options. Here in week 7 there are some hidden gems. The Bears have allowed double-digit fantasy points to five of their six opponents. Also Chicago has given up the third-most fantasy points per game, behind only the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. The Bears, Giants and Patriots opponents are: the Raiders, Washington and the Bills, all of which are solid week 7 options.
The Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers and Seattle are also worth considering if you need a defense. I really like Cleveland’s defense this week.
Week 7 PK
Often kickers are a place where a slight, but significant advantage can be found. Jason Myers of Seattle, Riley Patterson of the Detroit Lions, has a juicy match-up. Baltimore has been excellent for opposing kickers this season, giving up 10.8 fantasy points per game to the position. is The Rams’ Brett Maher is averaging 3.3 FG attempts per game. He’s 16-of-20 on field goals this year and 12-of-12 on extra points.
A few other kickers to target are Chris Boswell, McLaughlin, who has made 9-of-10 field goals and 7-of-7 extra points and Cameron Dicker. Good luck in Wondrously Wild Week 7.
The Washington Commanders head to East Rutherford to face the New York Giants on Sunday when Week 7’s afternoon slate begins at 1:00 PM ET on CBS. Can the Giants cover the 3-point spread as home underdogs? Check out our Commanders vs. Giants betting prediction to get today’s winner.