We’re back again filling in for Anthony and as I look to build on my debut preview last week! It’s been incredibly fulfilling going through each game on the slate, and as we head into Week 7, the intensity in fantasy football really starts to set in as injuries pile up and playoffs inch closer and closer. Thankfully, we’ve got six weeks worth of data at this point in the season, and plenty of time to turn things around, starting with this massive preview of every fantasy-relevant player in the remaining 14 games on the slate.

Don’t forget to read Larry Vannozzi’s weekly weather report to make sure you’re prepared for last minute alerts about mother nature’s plans in NFL cities across the country. Also, check out Brian Shade’s projection model to help you predict and prepare for this week’s slate of fantasy football!

Last Week’s Results: I was 7-6 in my picks for Week 6, and while I wish it was a better record I can’t balk at a positive outing in my debut.

Picks: Odds are from DraftKings. Picks are for entertainment purposes only and are strictly based on vibes. Check out the Wager Pass for legit gambling talk.

Start Sit Decisions: Start your studs. Otherwise, these are yours and yours alone to make. Hopefully my previews help provide context to assist you in making an informed, matchup winning decision.

Week 7 Positional Rankings: QB’s courtesy of Jacob Dunne, RB’s courtesy of Jon Mosales, WR’s courtesy of Robert Szolosi, TE’s courtesy of Max Silveira, and DST’s courtesy of Brandon Furtado

 

BYE WEEKS: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys

 

Matchup: New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars

Location: Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdon

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 9:30am EST

Nate’s Lock: Drake Maye 2+ Passing TDs (+235)

The Quarterbacks: (JAX) Trevor Lawrence is averaging roughly 17 PPG across his last three performances, and has thrown a pair of scores in those three-straight games, which is only the second time in his young career that he’s thrown for multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games. It should’ve been even more in Week 6, as a handful of potential touchdowns were dropped by his pass-catchers. He showed a strong connection with Evan Engram in his first game back, and maybe things come together for Lawrence as he gets more in tune with his entire group of talented pass-catchers. He draws a tougher matchup against the Pats this week, who have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to QBs this season. He will be in QB2 conversations once again. (NE) Drake Maye has the makings to be a pretty good fantasy QB. Even battling through a suspect offensive line and minimal receiving talent to throw to, Maye still turned his first NFL start into QB10 overall finish. He has a commendable rushing upside, and the sloppy turnovers should clean themselves up as he gets more experience under his belt. With a matchup like the Jaguars on deck, he even has a decent chance to repeat and turn in a second-consecutive top-10 finish at the position, depending on how others fare this week. The Jags allow the most fantasy points to quarterbacks on the year, and have surrendered 290 passing yards and 3.5 passing TDs per game over the last month of the season. There aren’t many better streaming options out there, and Maye has a pretty high fantasy upside for the rest of the season, on top of that.

The Running Backs: (JAX) With Travis Etienne Jr. reportedly week-to-week with a hamstring injury, opportunity arrises for a couple of other Jacksonville running backs. Oddly enough, despite his improved play, Tank Bigsby did not get the bulk of opportunities in his absence, as D’Ernest Johnson took the field for 57% of snaps as the preferred pass-catching back in a negative game script. Still, Bigsby should get the bulk of the carries in neutral or leading situations, which the Jaguars actually might have a shot at against the Patriots this week. The Patriots allow the sixth-most fantasy points to the position, and Jacksonville is currently 5.5-point favorites this week. Bigsby is a back-end RB2 in this spot, for me. (NE) Rhamondre Stevenson was ruled out in Week 6 with a foot injury that’s also keeping him out of practice as of Wednesday. Antonio Gibson got absolutely nothing going in the spot start, despite showing some impressive explosiveness at times early in the year. Houston is a good run defense, and the Patriots’ starting RB should have a better day against the Jaguars, who allow the fifth-most points to RBs on the year. If Gibson remains the starter, he’s a mid-to-high RB3.

The Wide Receivers: (JAX) There are a decent amount of good targets for Lawrence to throw to in this offense, and unless he and the offense start playing drastically better, there won’t be enough volume to go around for all of them to make fantasy contention. A returning Evan Engram, Brian Thomas Jr., Christian Kirk, and Gabe Davis all ran at least 30 routes on Lawrence’s 41 dropbacks. The rookie Thomas Jr. has been the most impressive and consistent of the Jags’ pass-catchers this season, but he turned in his first true dud performance of the season, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it came with Engram’s big first game back in the lineup, but more on the veteran TE shortly. Kirk had a similar finish to the rookie, but has been far less consistent, with a peak performance of WR16 overall in Week 4. Gabe Davis was an afterthought for much of the season, but caught two touchdown passes on eight targets to finish as the WR7 overall this week, which was his first time inside the top-40 WRs as a Jaguar. Thomas Jr. remains the preferred option in this bunch of WRs, and should be started this week, whereas Kirk and Davis are dart throws with varying degrees of upside and downside. (NE) Demario “Pop” Douglas is far and away the top wideout to own based in New England based on what we’ve seen this season, and with Drake Maye under center now, that actually has a lot more weight to it than with Jacoby Brissett managing the offense. Second-round rookie Ja’Lynn Polk has been pretty bad this season, and is on different wavelengths than his coaching staff, as they disagree about the “mental mistakes” he’s made in his rookie campaign. Meanwhile, sixth-round rookie Kayshon Boutte led the team with 83% of WR snaps last week, and is seizing the opportunity that Polk has fumbled. Boutte finished with three catches for 59 yards and a score as the WR21 overall on the week, while Douglas was the WR10 in Week 6 with 6/92/1. The Pats’ passing game is trending up, but Douglas is considered a WR3, while Boutte is a WR4/5 dart-throw with upside.

The Tight Ends: (JAX) Evan Engram took his time getting back to the lineup since tweaking his hamstring in pre-game warmups back in Week 2, but he came back in a big way in London against the Bears in Week 6. He finished as the TE5 on the week, catching all 10 of his targets for 102 yards. It remains to be seen if Engram will always be a top target for Lawrence, as Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk both took a backseat in this matchup. He gets a middling matchup with New England this week, and should be treated as a mid-to-late TE1. (NE) With Maye leading the offense instead of Jacoby Brissett, Hunter Henry caught his first touchdown of 2024 from the rookie QB. His upside with Maye on the field makes him a bit more appealing as a streaming option at the position for those without elite TEs rostered. The Jaguars are a middling fantasy defense against tight ends, but their generally poor defensive play leaves room for Henry to get home this week.

 

Matchup: Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Darnell Mooney OVER 53.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

The Quarterbacks: (ATL) Kirk Cousins and the Falcons’ aerial attack wasn’t needed as their two-headed monster in the backfield combined for over 200 rushing yards and three scores against the lowly Panthers. Cousins should have a much more inviting game on his hands in Week 7 against the Seahawks, who are allowing 24 FPPG to QBs over the last three weeks, and have given up eight passing TDs and drawn zero interceptions in that span. Seattle should be able to contend much more than the Panthers did, and the Falcons should re-assume their fourth-highest neutral pass rate from the previous month of the season. Cousins is a fringe-QB1 in this matchup. (SEA) Geno Smith is the QB7 on the year, and has been one of the more consistent options at the position, but hasn’t really sniffed his true potential, as he’s only score one touchdown in each of the last five games, but still averages 18 FPPG on the season thanks to high yardage totals and some rushing production here and there. Despite not finding the end zone too often, he’s still leading the NFL in passing yards and attempts this season. The Falcons are a middling pass defense, but the way these offenses operate could lead to a shootout in Atlanta. Smith profiles similarly to Cousins, and is a back-end QB1 for Week 7.

The Running Backs: (ATL) Bijan Robinson had an outstanding Week 6 against the Panthers’ poor run defense, turning in just the second top-5 RB finish in a week of his entire career. He took care of business, but arguably more impressive was Tyler Allgeier, who complemented Robinson’s 95-yard, two-touchdown performance with 18 carries for 105 yards and a score of his own. There won’t always be room for both of these guys to finish as RB1s, and there might not be another instance this season, but the talent of Allgeier is too bright to be dulled as the second-string RB. This team should embrace the two-headed monster approach akin to Detroit, but that may spell bad news for the ceiling that Robinson was drafted in the first round for this off-season. Robinson should be a mid-to-late RB1, while the matchup should shift Allgeier back into a back end RB3. (SEA) The Seahawks have operated a 70/30 split out of the backfield for two-straight weeks, with Kenneth Walker III maintaining his workhorse role, and also installing a sizeable pass-catching role that keeps his floor afloat when the game script works against him. He’s averaging six catches, seven targets and 43 receiving yards per game since returning to the lineup in Week 4. Zach Charbonnet remains one of the best handcuff options in the league, but his role with Walker present isn’t enough to garner standalone fantasy value. The Falcons have only allowed one RB touchdown this season, making them a tougher matchup at the position.

The Wide Receivers: (ATL) Drake London saw double-digit targets for the third-consecutive week, and finished as the WR14 overall against the Panthers in Week 6. London is up to the WR5 on the year, and is among the more consistent options at the position, garnering the third-most targets in the NFL this season. There wasn’t enough passing volume for Darnell Mooney to get involved in the fun against Carolina, and he logged his worst game since Week 1. Still, he remains a solidified member of the passing offense, and has real boom potential in matchups like this week against Seattle. The Hawks have allowed 5 touchdowns to receivers across the last three weeks, and their secondary has proven to be beatable when faced with a decent passing game. London is a mainstay among WR1s at this point of the season, while Mooney will be a WR3 with huge upside this week. (SEA) All three of Seattle’s top wideouts had at least eight targets last week, as this offense continues to generate a ton of volume, despite it not really coming to fruition last week against the Niners. D.K. Metcalf did the least on the stat sheet despite receiving the most (11) targets of the bunch, though he did have a big touchdown called back by way of penalty. Metcalf remains the top option in this passing game, and would normally finish higher up on rankings when getting that many looks. Tyler Lockett has closed the gap between him and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in recent weeks, but the second-year slot WR should fare better against the Falcons’ preventative defense. This game has the highest implied point total on the slate, and is shaping up to have a ton of fantasy potential. 

The Tight Ends: (ATL) Kyle Pitts is the TE8 on the season, and turned in his fourth top-12 TE performance of the season in Week 6 against the Panthers. With the ground game doing a ton of the heavy lifting in this one, Pitts and the passing game saw a fraction of the volume they saw on TNF a week prior. I like the chances of the team going back to the air a lot more against the Seahawks, whose secondary has proven beatable this season, especially when facing off with an above average QB, like Cousins. The Seahawks allow the seventh-most fantasy points to the position this year, and he should be a TE1 in Week 7 once again. (SEA) Noah Fant is coming off of his best game of the season, as six catches for 63 yards carried him to a TE9 finish against the 49ers in Week 6. Still, with four dud weeks in the first six games of the season, he remains a back-end streaming option, at best. The matchup with the Falcons doesn’t add value this week, as they are a middle of the pack defense vs. fantasy TEs.

 

Matchup: Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills

Location: Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Tony Pollard OVER 64.5 Rushing Yards (-120)

The Quarterbacks: (BUF) Josh Allen gets a huge boost from the trade for Amari Cooper, and he’s back in the weekly top-3 fantasy QB conversation with an alpha WR finally back on the roster. He was pretty lights out against the vaunted Jets pass defense, recording three total touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground, whereas the Jets had only allowed two total QB touchdowns on through the first five weeks of the season. Now, add Cooper to his arsenal and the sky is the limit for the reigning QB1 of 2023. At the very least, the addition should raise his floor significantly above the QB28 overall finishes he logged in weeks 2 and 4. The Titans have allowed the fewest passing yards per game, but have been susceptible to dual-threat QBs, allowing Malik Willis to finish as the QB6 in a Week 3 start. (TEN) Will Levis is averaging 11 FPPG excluding the game he was forced out from with a shoulder injury, which is basically dead last among full-time starters. He is completely off of fantasy radars, and is not worth a roster spot, perhaps even in superflex leagues.

The Running Backs: (BUF) With James Cook sidelined for MNF’s matchup with the Jets, it was the coming out party for rookie RB Ray Davis, who got 20 carries for 97 yards and caught all three of his targets for 55 receiving yards. Ty Johnson was also solid on limited touches, but was completely overshadowed by the rookie, despite taking a carry for 12 yards on the first play of the game. If Cook’s toe injury holds him out another week, Ray Davis will be a mid-tier RB2 in volume alone, but his rushing talent is clearly enough to turn in top RB performances, even in tough matchups like this week against Tennessee. The Titans allow the ninth-least points to the position, and the fifth-fewest rushing yards a game to oppoosing RBs. (TEN) Tony Pollard continues his serviceable campaign out of the backfield in Nashville, and with Tyjae Spears potentially sidelined with a hamstring injury, we could get a bell cow role for Pollard in the meantime. Buffalo allows the second-most RB fantasy points this season, and Pollard is a smash play as he looks for his third consecutive game with at least 88 rushing yards and a touchdown.

The Wide Receivers: (BUF) If Amari Cooper is active, regardless of how much practice time he gets with the team this week, he is still easily the favorite WR on the team for fantasy purposes, and has WR1 upside if the offense decides to sling it a bit more with a truly talented wideout on the way. There is still room for Khalil Shakir to get involved enough to have serviceable fantasy performances, and maybe even rookie Keon Coleman when the Bills press the gas a bit or are faced with a high-paced opponent. However, TE Dalton Kincaid still figures to be the second read in the passing game, rather than either complementary wideout. After not allowing a WR touchdown at all this season, the Titans gave up two to the Colts last week, through Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. Cooper will be a WR2 until he’s fully up to speed in Buffalo, while Shakir downgrades to a back-end WR3 and Coleman should be left on benches with this tough of a matchup on deck. (TEN) Unfortunately, the ship is sinking in Tennessee with Levis, and his pass-catchers can only go as far as he’ll let them. Calvin Ridley and Deandre Hopkins are both well talented enough to average more than seven half-PPR points a game, yet they aren’t. The former has expressed his frustrations aloud with the media, but remains a complete dud until they can manufacture more opportunities for him. Keep an eye on Hopkins as a potential trade candidate after Cooper and Davante Adams are already off the market, making Hopkins one of the biggest WR talents still potentially on the move.

The Tight Ends: (BUF) Dalton Kincaid is somehow the TE10 on the season, despite finishing outside the top-12 weekly TEs in 5-of-6 performances this season, with only a TE5 finish in Week 3 to boast this year. With Amari Cooper heading to Buffalo, hopefully the efficiency of the passing game ticks up and Kincaid sees more effective usage in the offense. While the Bills’ WRs take a hit with his presence, it’s more of a lateral change that could prove beneficial. The Titans are the best in the league at defending the TE position, so maybe Kincaid could be a bench candidate, though I think his floor is not based on matchup. (TEN) None of the tight ends in Tennessee have any fantasy value at this time. 

 

Matchup: Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns

Location: Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Cincinnati Bengals -5.5 (-115)

The Quarterbacks: (CLE) The departure of Amari Cooper makes Deshaun Watson‘s already-poor fantasy outlook downright abysmal. His contract is the only thing saving his job at this point, and it’s a matter of time before he gets benched in favor of Jameis Winston, who could, at the very least, breathe life into the fantasy profiles of the Browns’ top pass-catchers still on the roster. Fading Watson is one of the easiest things to do at this point of the season, and he should be left to rot on the waiver wire. (CIN) Joe Burrow is one of five fantasy quarterbacks averaging at least 20 PPG this season, and a long touchdown run saved him from a middling day through the air against the Giants. He’s scored at least 17 fantasy points in every game since Week 2, finishing as the QB10 overall or better in four of those five performances. Cleveland’s defense is a bit more beatable than they have been in recent years, and they’ve allowed a top-12 fantasy QB in three of their last four contests. Burrow will be a mid-tier QB1 in this Week 7 divisional matchup.

The Running Backs: (CLE) The great Nick Chubb practiced in full as of Wednesday ahead of his 2024 debut in Week 7 against the Bengals. He sounds hungry to get back on the field, and if anyone can return to form post-season-ending knee injury, it’s Chubb. Jerome Ford got a bit banged up in Week 6, and a hamstring injury is currently holding him out of practice as of Wednesday. If Chubb is on a pitch count of any sort, expect to see Pierre Strong Jr. a bit more, after a solid day filling in for Ford last week. Strong had eight carries for 43 yards and caught 2-of-3 targets for 35 receiving yards. This might be a wait-and-see approach as we hope to find some clarity via the coaching staff on what to expect from Chubb in his return to the lineup. The Bengals allow over 100 rushing yards and a touchdown per game to opposing ball-carriers. (CIN) Both Zack Moss and Chase Brown entered Week 6 a bit banged up, but both wound up active in their typical roles until a costly fumble in the third quarter saw Zack Moss get benched for Brown, who iced the game with a 30-yard touchdown late in the fourth. Chase Brown is far and away more explosive than Moss, and if Moss can’t hold on to the ball, he doesn’t offer anything that Brown can’t bring to the table. Brown is entering back-end RB2 conversations after finding the end-zone and finishing inside the top-20 RBs in three consecutive outings.

The Wide Receivers: (CLE) Cleveland’s new top wideout, Jerry Jeudy, assumes the role as one of the least-attractive WR1s in the league, at least until Jameis Winston is the one throwing him the ball instead of Watson. Jeudy is the WR52 on the year, and despite averaging 34 routes run per game, he’s seen an average of 3.2 catches and 41 yards a game this season. Elijah Moore moves into the number two role out wide, and should see a bit more run as the primary beneficiary from the move up the depth chart. However, neither WR should really be trusted until Watson miraculously improves or Winston takes over. (CIN) Despite something of a down week for the Bengals’ passing attack on SNF against the Giants, their top wideouts remain as lethal as ever. Ja’Marr Chase is the WR1 on the season, and he should be treated as such in every game he’s active for. Tee Higgins has been rock solid in his action this season, and he remains hovering in the fringe-WR2 range as he plays second fiddle to the best of his abilities. Meanwhile, promising second-year WR Andrei Iosivas is out of fantasy contention without a promotion forced by unforeseen circumstances presenting itself. Cleveland allows the 10th-most fantasy points on the season, and could be exploited by the Bengals’ two-headed receiving room.

The Tight Ends: (CLE) With Amari Cooper out in Cleveland, a door of opportunity opens for the team’s top target, and a healthy David Njoku is the most talented pass-catcher left on the team, though a case could be made for Jeudy, of course. He did little with seven targets last week, and despite coming from the woeful Watson, if Njoku starts seeing 10 targets a game he has fringe-TE1 fantasy appeal in PPR formats. The Bengals are the 11th-worst defense in terms of fantasy points allowed to TEs in 2024. (CIN) Joe Burrow isn’t looking at his tight ends all too often this season, and with Mike Gesicki playing through a hamstring injury in Week 6, Cincinnati is an ugly place to turn for fantasy TE help at this time. Erick All Jr. and Drew Sample both played more snaps than Gesicki, but did next-to-nothing in the passing game. 

 

Matchup: Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers

Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: C.J. Stroud OVER 8.5 Rushing Yards (-125)

The Quarterbacks: (GB) Jordan Love is the QB3 in FPPG this season, averaging just north of 23 FPPG as the leader of the Packers’ offense. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns in his last three starts since returning to the lineup in Week 4, including two top-three overall QB performances that saw him toss four touchdowns. He’s risen from a potentially season-threatening knee injury in Week 1 and emerged as a top-5 fantasy QB rest of season. He gets Houston this week, who allow the 11th-most fantasy points to QBs on the season, and they’ve allowed three different QBs to score at least three touchdowns in a game this season. This game could be another recipe for an elite QB performance from Love. (HOU) C.J. Stroud sits as the QB10 on the season, and while he did throw three touchdowns in his first game without his top WR, Nico Collins, he still lacks the ceiling that he possesses with him healthy and on the field. Perhaps this matchup with Green Bay will bring out the best of Stroud, in a potential shootout between two of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Although, the Packers have tightened up a bit defensively, and have forced at least one QB turnover in every game this season.

The Running Backs: (GB) Josh Jacobs disappointed a bit last week against the Cardinals, averaging just 3.4 YPC on 18 carries, despite the team controlling the lead for most of the game against a below-average run defense. Emmanuel Wilson flashed burst on his touches last week, taking eight of them for 73 yards. It’ll be a bit harder to bounce back against the Texans in Week 7, who are a top-five fantasy defense against running backs on the season. Outside of an RB8 finish in Week 5, Jacobs has failed to finish inside the top-22 elsewhere this season. He may start to tumble down rankings if he can’t submit a surprising performance soon. (HOU) Joe Mixon is a bonafide stud whenever he’s on the field this season, finishing as the RB2 overall in each of the two games he’s played to completion this season. The Packers are a middling defensive matchup for RBs, but they are particularly susceptible to pass-catching backs, allowing 45 RB receiving yards per game, the fourth-highest mark among NFL defenses.

The Wide Receivers: (GB) With a quarterback tossing touchdowns as often as Jordan Love is, his pass-catchers are bound to find success, though he does love to spread the ball around. After being suspended a week for conduct detrimental to the team and expressing frustrations with his role in the offense, Romeo Doubs caught two touchdowns and finished as the WR9 on the week. In his first game back from a knee injury, Christian Watson was one of the three wideouts to find the endzone, catching three balls for 68 yards and a score to propel himself to a WR19 finish. The team’s leading receiver and WR3 overall on the season, Jayden Reed, finished as the WR25 with a score of his own and minimal yardage to go along with six catches. Dontayvion Wicks injured his shoulder in this game, paving the way for the former three to make the most of the big day for Jordan Love, and Wicks may remain sidelined through Week 7. Reed is still a bonafide WR1, whereas Doubs and Watson profile more as high-upside WR3s. Houston is a middle of the pack defense against fantasy WRs in 2024. (HOU) Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs both made the most of the opportunity in Nico Collins‘s absence in Week 6, finishing as the WR17 and WR13 respectively. Diggs is quietly up to the WR6 on the season, and should remain the preferred weapon out of Houston as long as Collins is on IR with a hamstring injury. Dell finally broke out of his slump that has blanketed him for all of 2024, as the performance marked his first top-40 finish this season. Diggs is a back end WR1, whereas Dell is more of a high-upside WR2 in this matchup against Green Bay.

The Tight Ends: (GB) Tucker Kraft didn’t get involved a lot as the Packers controlled the lead for most of the game and the receivers did most of the damage out wide vs. the Cardinals. He still tied for the second-most targets, and should remain a fixture in the offense as one of the top fantasy tight ends in the game, as long as Jordan Love is under center. Houston is the third-ranked defense against tight ends, so it may be another down week on tap for Kraft. (HOU) While it didn’t result in a significant amount of fantasy points, Dalton Schultz did see a season-high eight targets in the first game without Nico Collins. The Packers allow the third-most fantasy points to TEs on the season, and Schultz could finally turn in a top-12 fantasy TE finish for the first time this season. 

 

Matchup: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Tyreek Hill Anytime TD (+190)

The Quarterbacks: (IND) Joe Flacco got the late starting nod with less than two hours before kickoff last Sunday, and finished as the QB18 on the week, throwing multiple touchdowns for the third consecutive performance. Hopefully, the extra week of rest means Anthony Richardson will have a chance to return to form in his first start since going down early in Week 4. Richardson had a couple of discouraging performances as the QB21 and QB31 after finishing as the QB4 in Week 1. There’s definitely a path to success for Richardson, if his accuracy can come back to earth a bit, he has decent matchup against a Dolphins defense that has been susceptible to big plays despite being a formidable fantasy defense, allowing the fewest FPPG to QBs on the season. I’d rather not start him in his first game back considering how poorly his most recent outings were, though he could be worth a superflex start or in larger single QB leagues. (MIA) Tyler Huntley might be a sneaky streaming start after having a week off to practice with his new team and get more familiar with the star-studded cast of weapons at his disposal in what was once an electric Dolphins offense. The Colts have been pretty bad as a whole on the defensive side of the ball, but they specifically allow the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Combining the upside that his supporting cast gives him with his rushing upside and a great matchup, Huntley could find fantasy success as soon as Week 7.

The Running Backs: (IND) With Jonathan Taylor out of the lineup with an ankle injury for the past two weeks, the Colts have implemented a 60/40 timeshare between Trey Sermon and Ty Goodson. Sermon has been very uninspiring, barely clearing 2 YPC, taking 28 carries for 57 yards across his two spot start, while Goodson has been much more effective on fewer touches, with a more consistent pass-catching role than Sermon. Taylor, despite saying he’s feeling better this week, is yet to practice as of Wednesday, so Sermond and Goodson could get a third-straight week of run in tandem. It’s unclear if Goodson will get more touches in response to his superior play, but a good matchup with Dolphins makes the starting RB a decent play. The Fins allow the third-most fantasy points to RBs on the year. (MIA) De’Von Achane appears to be trending towards playing in Week 7 after exiting Week 5 with a concussion before resting up over the team’s bye last week. Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright both split touches in his absence, with each netting 80 yards in the Week 5 loss. Achane’s return will likely bump Wright out of fantasy contention, though Achane and Mostert will have some fantasy appeal against the Colts, who allow the fourth-most rushing yards per game to RBs this season.

The Wide Receivers: (IND) Michael Pittman Jr. opted to play through a back injury that had initally reportedly threatened an IR stint for the Colts’ veteran wideout. He finished with a modest 3/35/1 line to finish as the WR28 on the day. Josh Downs impressed for a third-straight week, finishing as the WR16 while catching 7-of-9 targets for 66 yards and a touchdown. With MPJ’s current injury status, and how well Downs has performed this season, the second-year wideout is the preferred fantasy WR out of Indianapolis. However, it’s been a luxury to catch passes from Flacco instead of Richardson these past couple weeks. Downs’s emerging talent keeps him in WR2 conversations even with Richardson back distributing the football, while the second-year QB’s disappointing passing efforts this season leaves MPJ at the back end of the WR3s. Alec Pierce has performed better with Richardson in the lineup, and the season’s WR24 could be in boom-or-bust streaming consideration with the massive deep balls still in play. (MIA) This is the most confidence you can have in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle since Tua Tagovailoa last took the field. They still won’t be the same fantasy profile they once were, but Hill should be a decent WR2 with a skillset that leaves his ceiling permanently infinite. Waddle should be in WR3 or flex conversations without a doubt. The Colts allow the seventh-most WR receiving yards this season, and surrender the 11th-most fantasy points to WRs altogether. I’m confident that a bye week of chemistry building and playbook learning could be a hot fix for the Fins’ offense.

The Tight Ends: (IND) Mo Alie-Cox is a desperation TE dart throw whenever Joe Flacco is leading the offense, but Indianapolis can be otherwise completely avoided when consider fantasy tight ends. (MIA) With Tyler Huntley taking over at QB in Week 5, Jonnu Smith had a pretty good fantasy outing, finishing as the TE14 while catching 5-of-8 targets for 62 yards. The team is fresh off a bye week, and while it should mean an expanded playbook and better offense from Miami, it could also mean that the team’s top weapons get more involved, leaving less volume behind for Smith. Smith is a mid-tier streaming candidate in Week 7 against the Colts, who have surrendered the fourth-most points to the position in 2024.

 

Matchup: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

Location: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Jameson Williams OVER 48.5 Receiving Yards (-125)

The Quarterbacks: (MIN) Prior to the Vikings’ Week 6 bye, Sam Darnold was shut down by the Jets’ defense, winding up the QB27 overall on the week. He was the QB4 through the first four weeks of the season before that Jets game dragged him down to QB15 in FPPG. Coming out a Week 6 bye with potentially another weapon in TE T.J. Hockenson making his season debut, Darnold is in prime position to be a QB1 mainstay with how well he and the Vikings have played for a majority of the season. His arm could be leaned on even more with Aaron Jones likely to miss Week 7. Detroit allows the sixth-most passing yards per game, but are still a formidable defense that just held Dak Prescott to a QB28 overall finish. However, the loss of Aidan Hutchinson off the edge is astronomical, and could make things a good bit easier for Darnold and the passing game. (DET) After a lackluster fantasy start to the season as the run game did most of the team’s heavy lifting, Jared Goff has submitted QB4 overall outings in each of his last two performances. He averaged over 300 yards passing and 2.5 touchdowns per game in those two highlight performances, but may have a bit more difficulty getting there against the Vikings, who have forced at least 2 QB turnovers in every game this season, and three picks in each of their last two contests. However, they’ve invited the pass a ton, spending most of their games with a lead and surrendering the third-most passing yards as a result. Goff is a fringe-QB1 with great upside if this matchup goes nuts.

The Running Backs: (MIN) With Aaron Jones reportedly week-to-week with a hip injury, Ty Chandler seems slated for the majority of opportunities out of the backfield in his absence, starting in Week 7 vs. the Detroit Lions. The team also traded for Cam Akers in the middle of the year for the second-straight season, as they bolster the depth in their RB room. It’s worrysome for Chandler that Akers can plug-and-play, given his knowledge of Kevin O’Connell’s playbook and run scheme. Chandler has been unimpressive on minimal touches this season, and the Lions allow the fewest scrimmage yards per game to opposing RBs. I would avoid the Vikings’ backfield in this matchup. (DET) David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are both high-floor, top-5 RB ceiling fantasy running backs, as neither back has finished outside the top-22 RBs once this season. The backfield anomaly in Detroit has two week-in, week-out fringe RB1s. However, they have their biggest test of the season, taking on the Vikings who rank second-best against fantasy RBs on the year. Still, while it may be less likely that both get home this week, their RB usage in Minnesota makes them lineup locks whenever active and healthy.

The Wide Receivers: (MIN) Justin Jefferson is an easy start on a weekly basis, and despite not finding the end zone in his last game for the first time this season, he saw a season-high of 14 targets. He has one of the highest floor and ceiling combos in fantasy football, but is yet to hit that monster finish yet this season, failing to finish higher than the WR7 yet this season. The Lions allow the most WR receiving yards per game so far this season, and Jefferson should have his name called multiple times whenever Minnesota has the football. Jordan Addison wasn’t able to overcome the tough Jets matchup, and finished with just three catches for 38 yards on eight targets. As we’ve seen this season, Addison has a sky-high ceiling and a bottom of the barrel floor as the WR2 in the offense. I imagine the return of T.J. Hockenson to the lineup will eventually eat into his target share once he’s up to speed. (DET) In completely different fashions on the same offense, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the WR20 and WR21 on the season, respectively. The Vikings’ defense profiles similarly to Detroit, allowing the second-most WR yards on the season as many teams are throwing to try and catch or keep up. Both Lions wideouts have a chance to get home simultaneously once again, this week.

The Tight Ends: (MIN) T.J. Hockenson is tracking to make his 2024 debut in Week 7 after suffering a season-ending ACL tear towards the end of last season. He finished 2023 as the TE3 in FPPG, averaging 11.5 half-PPR points last season. The play of Sam Darnold and the Vikings as whole should give him access to a similar weekly upside as an elite option at the position when fully healthy. He likely shouldn’t be started in his first week back, or until we know he’s going to be full-tilt. If he’s floating around on waiver wires, pick him up in a hurry. (DET) Sam LaPorta got home as the TE6 last week on just one target in the 47-9 rout against the Cowboys. Thankfully that lone target resulted in a 52-yard house call, but the lack of volume is surely something to note coming off a bye week. LaPorta simply seems to be a step below what he was last season, as the team’s touchdowns all go through the running backs in the red zone. The TD catch-and-run was his first of the season, but hopefully it’s a sign of what’s to come for the second-year TE. Minnesota allows the sixth-most points to tight ends, as an apparent weak spot in their great defense.

 

Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

Location: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Jalen Hurts OVER 36.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

The Quarterbacks: (NYG) Daniel Jones has done serviceably as a fantasy QB this season, serving as a pseudo-boom-or-bust player this season. In his last five games, he has three back-end QB1 finishes and two back-end QB2 finishes, illustrating a modest ceiling and a floor providing at least double-digit outings. With Malik Nabers expected back this weekend, hopefully Jones finishes back as a QB1 with a complete cast of pass-catchers. He’s a mid-level QB2 in an iffy matchup with the NFC East rival Eagles. (PHI) Despite having his top two targets back in the lineup last week, Jalen Hurts and the offense apparently had to shake off some rust against the Browns last week. Still, Hurts tossed 260 yards, two touchdowns and rushed a little bit on his way to the QB8 on the week. The Giants are a decent defense, but they’ve allowed the third-most rushing yards to QBs this season, which could be an area for Hurts to attack with another QB1 finish likely on deck, though hopefully closer to the top.

The Running Backs: (NYG) With Devin Singletary logging limited practice participation as he continues to work his way back from a groin injury that held him out the last two weeks, there’s a decent chance that rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. remains involved in the offense, even if Singletary manages to log full participations before the end of the week. I’d be reluctant to start Singletary in his first game back, but if Tracy gets another start, he is a high-upside RB2 against an Eagles team that is top-10 in RB rush yards allowed this season. The rookie has at least 107 scrimmage yards in each of his two starts, and he’s got massive upside if he manages to seize the starting job from Singletary outright. (PHI) Saquon Barkley is coming off of his worst game as an Eagle, averaging just 2.6 YPC en route to an RB33 overall finish in a disappointing win over the Browns. Still, this season’s RB3 remains a bell cow running back, and should have RB1 overall potential in his first of two revenge games against the Giants this season. The Giants have been a decent defense against the run, but Barkley, of course, is talented enough to disregard matchups and still get home.

The Wide Receivers: (NYG) Thankfully, Malik Nabers is expected back in the starting lineup, after spending two games sidelined with a concussion. He’s the WR2 in FPPG on the season, and has a monster role in the Giants’ passing game. Players don’t typically see a dip in production after returning from concussions, so Nabers should be plugged right back in as a top-5 fantasy wideout. Wan’Dale Robinson is the WR35 on the season, and is averaging nearly 10 targets per game this season as he’s shown a consistent role in the passing attack, regardless of whether or not Nabers is active. Darius Slayton saw 11 targets in both of the games without Nabers, and should see his role drop back down closer to the four-target average he had over the first month of the season. Philly surrenders the seventh-most WR fantasy points in 2024. (PHI) In two games this season, A.J. Brown is leading wideouts in FPPG, averaging 20.5 half-PPR points this season. Meanwhile, Devonta Smith is the WR11 in FPPG this season, with 13.6. Both players had at least 60 yards and a score in their simultaneous return to the lineup, exhibiting their potential to both meet and exceed expectations any given week. Both players are virtually matchup-proof starts, and should have a similar chance at success in Week 7 against the Giants.

The Tight Ends: (NYG) Rookie Theo Johnson didn’t really build on his season-best performance from Week 5, but he did see a season-high in snap share, logging 89% of TE snaps last week. With Malik Nabers likely back from a concussion suffered a few weeks back, Johnson will fall further down the pecking order, and I’m avoiding him beyond streaming consideration. With the Eagles allowing the second-fewest points to opposing TEs, there’s little reason to expect a good performance out Johnson this week. (PHI) Dallas Goedert hurt his hamstring early in Week 7 and was ruled out quickly against the Browns, so his status for Week 7 is definitely in question. In his absence, Grant Calcaterra snuck his way into the top-12 tight ends on the week after catching all four of his targets for 67 yards. If Goedert can’t go this week, Calcaterra will have low-end flex appeal against the Giants, who are top-10 against fantasy tight ends this season.

 

Matchup: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams

Location: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 4:05pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Alexander Mattison Anytime TD (+175)

The Quarterbacks: (LAR) It sounds like Matthew Stafford might be getting his top weapon back in Week 7 against the Raiders, as Cooper Kupp has made strides in recovery from a high-ankle sprain over the team’s Week 6 bye. If Kupp can return in any capacity, he could breathe enough life into Stafford as a streaming option if guys like Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington can continue their developed chemistry despite the return of the superstar WR. The Raiders have given up the 10th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, and Stafford is good enought to pick them apart, as long as Maxx Crosby doesn’t wreck the game. (LV) Aidan O’Connell had a rough matchup to make his first start of the season against in Pittsburgh last week, and he finished as the QB24 with 227 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Maybe, AOC will be able to creep up the QB2 ranks this week against a Rams defense that gives up the eighth-most fantasy points to QBs this season. That’ll be hard to do if Jakobi Meyers is out once again with a shoulder injury, and there are likely many better options available on the waiver wire.

The Running Backs: (LAR) Kyren Williams continues to operate as a bell cow back, seeing roughly 80% of snaps or more in every game this season. He’s been the engine of the injured for the Rams, and is one of few RBs to find the end zone in every game this season, finishing inside the top-12 RBs for three-straight weeks, including an RB2 overall finish back in Week 3. There is some sparks that rookie Blake Corum could become more involved after the team’s Week 6 bye, but that remains to be seen. Williams is a lock for a top-5 RB this week on that volume against a Raiders defense that allows the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season. Kupp’s potential return to the lineup could dial back Williams’s volume a smidge, but should definitely help the offense move the chains and complete more scoring drives. (LV) Zamir White is looking like he’ll return to action this week for the Raiders after missing the last two games with a groin injury. In his absence, Alexander Mattison has averaged 2.5 YPC in his last two starts, but receiving work and an end zone find has helped buouy his poor efficiency into serviceable fantasy performances. Whoever the starter is, though preferably Mattison, will likely be nothing more than a mid-tier RB3 in the Raiders’ spiraling offense.

The Wide Receivers: (LAR) As stated previously, it sounds like Cooper Kupp is trending towards making his return to the lineup from a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2. If he can go this week, he should plug immediately back in with WR1 potential with as much volume as he can handle as Stafford’s trusted top target. I think Tutu Atwell remains featured enough to maintain WR3 appeal as the primary complement to Kupp in the passing game as long as Puka Nacua remains out of the lineup with his own knee injury. Jordan Whittington has averaged nine targets over the last two games, and could still be featured if the team throws the ball enough, but I’m not sure if I would trust him, as he stands to lose the most from Kupp’s return. The Raiders allow the ninth-fewest WR fantasy points this season, but they haven’t had too many tough challenges this season. (LV) At this point, Jakobi Meyers is the only Raiders WR remaining that can be moderately trusted in fantasy, but he’s still missing from practice as of Thursday. He’s trending towards missing a second-straight week, and I wouldn’t be betting on any other Raiders WR performing in his absence. Brock Bowers is the true WR1 of the offense.

The Tight Ends: (LAR) Colby Parkinson saw a whopping 13 targets back in Week 5 before the team went into the bye week, catching seven of them for 52 yards. He was one of three Rams to get 10 targets in that game, and he should be a solid streaming play in PPR formats fresh off the bye against the Raiders. Vegas does decent against the tight end position, but their defense is generally susceptibile, and Parkinson should have no problem catching five passes or so. (LV) Brock Bowers remains a PPR menace, and he currently sits as the TE2 on the season, trailing only George Kittle. He leads all TEs in receptions and yards, and the Rams allow the second-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. It should be another terrific day for the rookie in this matchup, where he has a shot at TE1 overall on the week.

 

Matchup: Carolina Panthers at Washington Commanders

Location: Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 4:05pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Chuba Hubbard OVER 3.5 Receptions (-120)

The Quarterbacks: (WAS) I don’t think there’s any way Jayden Daniels doesn’t finish this week as a top-five QB against the Panthers, but if there is, it’s because the team does all of its damage on the ground, which Daniels should also be heavily involved in, anyways. Brian Robinson Jr. has been off-and-on the field the last week or so with a knee injury, and the team could opt push more of the offense through their franchise QB. He’s finished as a QB1 in all but one week this season, and has one of the highest floor and ceiling combos at the position. The Panthers allow the 12th-most fantasy points to QBs on the year, but that’s mostly because their run defense in non-existent and they are always trailing. (CAR)  Andy Dalton and the Panthers’ passing game might at least be good enough to take advantage of good matchups, as he’s scored at least 16.7 fantasy points in three of his four starts, with the only bust performance coming against a Bears defense that allows the second-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks. The Commanders allow over 230 passing yards and two touchdowns a game to opposing QBs this season, which translates to the ninth-most fantasy points allowed to the position. Dalton will have high-end QB2 upside in the plus matchup.

The Running Backs: (WAS) Brian Robinson Jr. is back at practice to start the week, and he should be tracking to return to the lineup with a mouth-watering matchup with the Panthers in Week 7. Austin Ekeler had some solid receiving work as the starting RB against the troublesome Ravens run defense last week, but this starting job remains Robinson’s to lose. If he can log full participation by the end of the practice week, Robinson should be in line for an RB1 finish against Carolina, who allows over 130 yards and two touchdowns a game to opposing RBs. (CAR) Rookie RB Jonathon Brooks is finally practicing, but it’s unclear whether or not he will make his NFL debut as soon as this week against Washington. Even so, until he gets up to full speed, Chuba Hubbard is playing really well as the starter, and should remain the primary ball-carrier for an extended period. Though with the team’s season basically already over, it wouldn’t surprise to see the team feed their rookie RB opportunities regardless of Hubbard’s excellent play. He’s the RB7 on the season, and should be in line for another top finish against a Commanders D that allows the sixth-most rushing yards to RBs in 2024.

The Wide Receivers: (WAS) Despite the impressive play of rookie QB Jayden Daniels both as a runner and through the air, there’s only been one WR worthy of fantasy viability, being his alpha target, Terry McLaurin. He’s the WR22 on the year in FPPG, and he finished as the WR5 overall in Week 6, catching six balls for 53 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers allow the 13th-most fantasy points to WRs this season, and McLaurin should have another top wideout performance at the ready in Week 7 against Carolina. (CAR) Aside from the Bears’ matchup that smothered the Panthers’ entire passing attack, Diontae Johnson has finished as a WR1 in every game with Andy Dalton under center for the Panthers. In each of those three outings, he has at least six catches, 78 yards and a touchdown. Washington allows the fifth-most fantasy points to the position, and Johnson should be able to keep up his hot streak. Xavier Legette is a high-upside WR4 in this matchup with the Commanders, with two touchdowns in his last three performances.

The Tight Ends: (WAS) Veteran TE Zach Ertz has found his way into the top-12 TEs on a given week three times this season, and game script should be the only thing stopping him from doing so once again in Week 7. The Carolina Panthers have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends this year, and Ertz should be a decent streaming option in this spot. (CAR) Rookie TE Ja’Tavion Sanders saw a 23% non-RB target share last week in what was his best performance of his young NFL career. He caught 5-of-7 targets for 49 yards in what was something of a mini-breakout performance. The Commanders haven’t been particularly susceptible to tight ends this year, but they have allowed a TE touchdown in each of their last two contests. Sanders is a streaming TE with more upside than your average TE.

 

Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers

Location: Levi’s Stadium

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 4:25pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Patrick Mahomes OVER 20.5 Rushing Yards (-120)

The Quarterbacks: (SF) Brock Purdy is the QB8 on the season, despite seemingly having a mixed bag of his usually loaded arsenal this season. He’s second in the NFL in passing yards, and is averaging roughly 20 rushing yards per game to boot. He should have all his weapons locked and loaded for revenge for the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs last season. The Chiefs are a middling fantasy defense against quarterbacks this season, and Purdy should make his way into the top-12 after Week 7 is in the books. (KC) After losing a couple of his top wide receivers just three weeks into the season, Patrick Mahomes is just the QB20 in FPPG this year. His fantasy success now relies on the aging Travis Kelce and refurbished veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster, while Xavier Worthy hasn’t quite shown the ability to be a reliable number one WR just yet. At best, he’ll likely be a high-end QB2, as he has been all season, failing to finish higher than QB13 this season. 

The Running Backs: (SF) Jordan Mason was a limited participant in practice with a shoulder injury, and his status for Week 7 remains up in the air. If he goes this week, it’ll be tough sledding against a Chiefs defense that allows the fewest fantasy points to RBs this season. They’ve only allowed one running back to record more than 34 rushing yards, and that was Derrick Henry in Week 1, who had 12 carries for 46 yards. I would consider Mason a bench candidate in this matchup if he won’t be 100% for the contest, and while Isaac Guerendo is an intriguing rookie talent, the matchup is enough to keep him out of starting lineups if he gets called upon to lead the team’s ground game. (KC) Kareem Hunt looks like a whole different RB from who we last saw taking goal-line carries for the Browns a season ago. He finished as the RB4 in Week 6, but likely won’t have as many opportunities this week against a good Niners offense that should be able to keep up with or even outpace the Chiefs. His emergence has completely erased Carson Steele and Samaje Perine from fantasy contention, and should remain a rock-solid RB2 until Isiah Pacheco is able to play football again.

The Wide Receivers: (SF) Of the San Francisco wideouts, Deebo Samuel was the one to lead the way im Week 6, finishing with 117 scrimmage yards and a touchdown to log a WR6 overall finish. Despite a WR11 overall finish in Week 4, Brandon Aiyuk has failed to finish inside the top-40 wideouts in every other week this season. Still, Jauan Jennings has disappeared since his massive WR1 overall week a few games back with both the top starting WRs healthy, averaging two catches for 20 yards over his last two games. Deebo is still a weekly WR1 despite some down games dealing with injury this season, while Aiyuk is essentially a boom-or-bust WR through six weeks of the season, and one who busts more often than he delivers. Aiyuk is benchable in a tough matchup against Kansas City, who allows the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs this year. (KC) JuJu Smith-Schuster rose from the ashes to take on Rashee Rice‘s role in the offense after the latter wideout was ruled out for the regular season with a severe knee injury. JuJu finished as the WR14 with seven catches for 130 yards, in an impressive showcase before the team’s Week 6 bye. With an extra off week of preparation, Smith-Schuster is now in line to lead the team’s passing attack opposite of TE Travis Kelce. Rookie Xavier Worthy still hasn’t gotten more than five touches in a game through his first five games as an NFL pro, but perhaps an early bye could result in more integration into an offense that’s now reliant on Smith-Schuster to be their top WR target.

The Tight Ends: (SF) The difference between George Kittle and any other tight end this season has been his ability to find the end zone, as he offers a sizeable position advantage averaging almost four more half-PPR points per game than the TE2. Scoring at least one touchdown in each of his last four games, and five total in that span, Kittle has assumed the most consistent role among pass-catchers in San Francisco. The Chiefs are allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends this season, but haven’t allowed a double-digit fantasy scorer since Week 2. (KC) Travis Kelce has been back on track since star WR Rashee Rice suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3. He’s averaging roughly eight catches and 80 yards in his last two outings before the team enjoyed a Week 6 bye. He should continue his expanded role against the Niners, as he searches for his first touchdown in 2024.

 

Matchup: New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers

Location: Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 8:20pm EST

Nate’s Lock: New York Jets -1.5 (-110)

The Quarterbacks: (PIT) With the team likely to turn to Russell Wilson instead of former-Bears QB Justin Fields, I’m pessimistic about Wilson being a better fantasy QB, but I do think he offers the best upside for the team’s other weapons. The team’s pass-catchers get a QB with a bit more accuracy and poise in the pocket, whereas the RBs shouldn’t get vultured by Fields’s legs anymore, and could even see more looks through the air. Fields was the QB6 on the season, thanks in large part to his rushing talent, with five rushing TDs in six games, and three performances with at least 55 rushing yards. I highly doubt Wilson sees the same fantasy success that Fields did as the Steelers’ starting QB, and gets a brutal matchup to make his debut for Pittsburgh against the Jets. (NYJ) Aaron Rodgers might be catapulting up to fringe-QB1 status with the addition of old pal Davante Adams to his receiving group. He’s the QB21 in FPPG this year, but he’s got two touchdowns in four of his last five outings. Adding one of the best red zone targets in the league to his tool belt could take Rodgers into QB1 consideration depending on how the team’s pass rate trends as the season goes on with his transformed WR core. The best QB finish the Steelers have allowed this season is a QB13 finish by Dak Prescott, and Rodgers should be around that range himself in Week 7.

The Running Backs: (PIT) Najee Harris had what was probably one of the best games of his career against the Raiders in Week 6. After going over 4 YPC in just one game this season, Harris ripped off 14 runs for 106 yards and a touchdown to finish as a top-10 RB for the first time in 2024. The Jets are a solid run defense, but they still give up over 100 on the ground to RBs per game this season. Jaylen Warren saw his first action after being sidelined with a hamstring injury a couple weeks back. Harris will be a back-end RB2, while Warren is an unplayable stash until we see his role in the offense grow. The QB change to Russell Wilson could result in more RB pass-catching opportunities, and lower likelihood of having a goal-line score vultured. (NYJ) After not recording more than 74% of RB snaps since Week 2, Breece Hall saw his highest snap share of the season with 87% of them going his way in the first Jets game since the coaching staff shake-up. It was his second-best fantasy finish on the season, and by far his best day on the ground, clearing the century mark for the first time in 2024, and also adding five catches for 56 more yards through the air. Braelon Allen saw his role heavily reduced, but remains a premier handcuff option amongst fantasy RBs. Another performance like that against a tough Steelers defense would cement Hall back in the elite fantasy RB conversation.

The Wide Receivers: (PIT) While the Steelers’ wideouts do get a slight bump, George Pickens is pretty much the only fantasy-viable wideout until we see how Wilson and the offense performs with him under center. The team is trying to get Pickens more involved after he’s publicly expressed his frustration with his role in the offense, and perhaps the QB change could’ve come with the approval of Pickens, not that it was necessarily required or suggested. With Sauce Gardner and the Jets on deck, though, Pickens can be benched in the team’s first game with Wilson leading the charge. (NYJ) Sheesh. Davante Adams is back on the fantasy scene in a big way, and he should immediately leap frog Garrett Wilson as Rodgers’s favorite target, but this offense could easily become efficient enough to produce two successful top fantasy WRs. They looked a lot better as a unit in the first game after shaking up the coaching staff last week, and Adams should be a weekly fringe-WR1 as a New York Jet. Meanwhile, Garrett Wilson should downgrade a bit into a less consistent WR2, with an everpresent talent ceiling, though a decrease in volume his way could definitely be a noticeable change. Allen Lazard is downgraded to more of a dart throw WR4 in the transformed offense. Former Chargers WR Mike Williams is now obsolete in the offense, and the team is reportedly fielding offers for the veteran pass-catcher, who has worked his way back from a season-ending knee injury in 2023.

The Tight Ends: (PIT) Pat Freiermuth had a touchdown called back last week against the Raiders, which would’ve been his third in as many weeks. The potential QB switch to Russell Wilson should give him and the other pass-catchers a slight volume boost, if nothing else. He’s a perennial above-average streaming option, though there is a small chance that Wilson develops chemistry with Freiermuth enough to elevate him into back-end TE1. It’ll be hard for the passing game to get going against the Jets’ vaunted secondary this week. (NYJ) While the rest of the Jets’ offense looked quite a bit more lively after their post-Week 5 coaching change, Tyler Conklin was left out of the fun, catching just two balls for 10 yards. Now, with Davante Adams in tow, Conklin could fade out of streaming appeal in a hurry.

 

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Location: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida

Date: Monday, October 21, 2024 at 8:15pm EST

Nate’s Lock: Lamar Jackson OVER 227.5 Passing Yards (-115)

The Quarterbacks: (TB) Baker Mayfield has been lights out virtually the entire season, and he’s the QB2 in FPPG this season, despite the off-season questions surrounding the departure of coach Dave Canales to their division rival Panthers. He has 17 total touchdowns on the season, 15 of them being through the air, which dwarfs the next-closest QBs who have 13. He’s also using his legs more often than before, and after clearing 20 rushing yards in just two performances last season and running for one touchdown all season, he has two rushing scores on the season and has cleared at least 21 rushing yards in 4-of-6 games this season. He gets another great chance to finish at the top of rankings once again, as the Ravens allow the third-most QB fantasy points on the season, as their dominant offense has led more often than not. (BAL) It just so happens that Mayfield is taking on the one QB he trails in FPPG this season, as Lamar Jackson is playing as good of football as he ever has. Jackson is the only QB to have finished as a QB1 in every game this season, and now he takes on a Bucs defense that is two weeks removed from allowing the first 500-yard passing game in three years. Tampa Bay has also surrendered the most rushing touchdowns to QB this season, and this game is shaping up to be an elite fantasy QB clinic between these two. 

The Running Backs: (TB) I had mentioned on Sunday’s SportsEthos show that Rachaad White being inactive would be addition by subtraction for the Buccaneers, and that’s exactly what it looked like. Bucky Irving 14 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown, while normally third-string RB Sean Tucker had 17 touches for 192 yards and two scores in clean-up duty for Tampa Bay. White hasn’t looked like his best in 2024, but the coaching staff remains adamant that he is their starting RB when healthy. However, they did admit that Tucker earned himself more reps, which could imply that this team now has a three RB committee on their hands, which is bad news for fantasy managers hoping for a breakout sooner than later. With the Ravens on tap for Week 7, who allow fourth-fewest fantasy points to RBs on the year, Bucky Irving is the only RB I would start until we know more about the rotation and limitiations of White. (BAL) Derrick Henry is averaging 22 FPPG as the RB1 on the year, and is never leaving starting lineups for a long time, at least until the Ravens’ Week 14 bye. On the other hand, Justice Hill is in a decent spot after failing to make his mark on the stat sheet in the last couple of weeks. The Bucs surrender the third-most RB receiving yards, and if Tampa Bay manages to operate the offense effectively against Baltimore, this could be a week where Hill gets more involved, enough for deep league dart throw appeal in PPR leagues.

The Wide Receivers: (TB) A large part for Baker Mayfield’s success this season has been the connection he’s developed with slot receiver Chris Godwin. Godwin leads the league in receptions and is third receiving yards this year, resulting in a WR5 overall placement in FPPG. Mike Evans has been a much less consistent fantasy WR, but the evergreen WR still has top-level upside, with three top-10 WR finishes this season. With Evans a little banged up in last week’s game, Sterling Shepard saw his snap share jump to 75% in Week 6 after Evans exited. He didn’t do much with the opportunity, but it seems apparent that he’s jumped rookie Jalen McMillan in the pecking order, as the rookie has been managing a hamstring injury. The Ravens have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts, and there’s a great chance that each of the Bucs’ top-two wideouts get home this week. (BAL) Zay Flowers has been a boom-or-bust WR1 this season, with three performances finishing inside the top-15 at the position. He’s also finished with under four half-PPR points in weeks 3 and 4, though his fantasy performances appear to be correlated to his matchups. He gets a great one with the Bucs in Week 7, and he should be gearing up for a third-straight big week against a Bucs defense that allows the sixth-most WR fantasy points on the season. Rashod Bateman has loooked decent as a complementary piece of the passing game in Baltimore, though he isn’t quite getting enough volume to give him consistent fantasy viability. However, in this fantastic matchup for pass-catchers, Bateman might be worth a start as a WR4 dart throw with upside.

The Tight Ends: (TB) After a pretty quiet start to the season, Cade Otton is the fantasy TE10 since Week 3. He’s gathered at least 44 yards or a touchdown in each of his last four games, and is averaging seven targets a game in that span. The Ravens are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, and Otton could be next in line to make the most of the matchup. He is a plus streaming option in Week 7. (BAL) Mark Andrews finally hit paydirt last week, as his 66 yards and a touchdown were good enough for the TE3 on the week, his best finish of the season. Isaiah Likely is more of a boom-or-bust option, whereas Mark Andrews has a much lower ceiling, but is building momentum towards consistent fantasy production. The Bucs haven’t allowed a touchdown to a tight end yet this year, but there’s a good chance that changes in Week 7.

 

Matchup: Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals

Location: StateFarm Defense in Glendale, Arizona

Date: Monday, October 21, 2024 at 9:00pm EST

Nate’s Lock: J.K. Dobbins OVER 74.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

The Quarterbacks: (ARI) Kyler Murray has been hit or miss this season, with two finishes inside the top-five at the position, and two others as 24th overall or worse. He’s shown off his rushing upside plenty a time this season, and he’s third among QBs in rushing yards this season. However, with his top target, rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr., potentially sidelined with a concussion, Murray might be a bench candidate against the Chargers this week in the latter half of the MNF double-header. The Chargers allow the sixth-fewest fantasy points on the year, and have come away with an interception against every QB they’ve faced this season. (LAC) As the Chargers embraced a run-heavy demeanor with their new coaching staff, Justin Herbert has been a pretty uninspiring fantasy quarterback, especially when battling a calf injury at times this season. He’s the QB30 in FPPG among those with at least two starts this season, but honestly did pretty well against the Broncos’ stud secondary last week as the team had a bye week to prepare. Still, even against a Cardinals team that’s surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points to QBs this season, Herbert remains unplayable in 1QB leagues, though he may have some superflex appeal.

The Running Backs: (ARI) James Conner came out of Week 6 with an ankle injury, and it was Emari Demercado who was plugged in as the de-facto lead back instead of rookie RB Trey Benson. Clearly, that signals that the team isn’t comfortable with where Benson is at, and while he should be involved a decent amount if Conner has to miss any time, it appears that Arizona has at least entrusted Demercado as the primary pass-catching option out of the backfield, catching 5-of-7 targets for 39 yards as the team chased down the Packers nearly all game. In a better game script, maybe Benson is the featured back, but that’s not certain until we see them in action. Being a MNF game, the Cardinals haven’t had a true practice yet as of Wednesday, and Conner’s status for Week 7 is truly cloudy. If Conner goes, he is the only Cardinals RB worth starting, and will be a mid-to-late RB2 if not 100%. (LAC) As mentioned last week, Kimani Vidal made his stamp on the NFL in his rookie debut, scoring a receiving touchdown on a wheel route for his first career touch. This remains J.K Dobbins‘s backfield, at least on the ground, but with Gus Edwards on IR the opportunities should be present for Vidal to have decent weeks alongside Dobbins in the team’s typically run-heavy game plan. The Cardinals are allowing the 10th-most fantasy points to RBs this season, and the second-most rushing yards per game.

The Wide Receivers: (ARI) With rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. working his way through the league’s concussion protocol, though practicing Thursday, his status for Week 7 is up in the air, but most cases see players out at least a game while working through the steps. If he can’t go expect Michael Wilson to be the team’s top WR target, while rookie UDFA Xavier Weaver was asked to step up in his first NFL game, playing 71% of WR snaps on the day, which was the second-most behind Wilson. Still, Weaver only got one empty target, while Greg Dortch has rapport with Kyler Murray, and could be in line for a spot start as a dart throw with upside, though preferably in PPR formats. Dortch played 61% of snaps last week and caught 3-of-5 targets for 36 yards. (LAC) In what was probably QB Justin Herbert’s best game as a passer this season, he distributed the ball so much that his production diluted into zero successful fantasy wideouts, save for Ladd McConkey‘s modest four catches and 43 yards. Perhaps, Herbert’s increased passing volume will be a trend that stems from the team’s Week 5 bye, and maybe he can lift guys like McConkey and Quentin Johnston into fine fantasy wideouts, though they are nothing more than low-floor upside plays.

The Tight Ends: (ARI) Trey McBride had his first non-fluke top TE finish of the season in Week 6, while his first came with a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown. He’s second among tight ends in targets per game, but he, like a few other top tight ends, is still searching for his first receiving touchdown of the season. McBride should be in a good spot for fantasy success in Week 7 regardless of finding the end zone, as the Chargers allow the third-most receptions per game to opposing tight ends. (LAC) Hayden Hurst hurt his hamstring early in Week 6, and Will Dissly assumed the top TE pass-catching role in the offense. Despite Herbert throwing the ball more times in Week 6 than any other game this season, Dissly had minimal production on five targets. This position group remains off of fantasy radars for the time being.

 

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