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Dan's fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 7 of 2025. He looks at potential warning signals from Tony Pollard, Michael Carter, Kendrick Bourne, and T.J. Hockenson
Hello, RotoBallers, and welcome to the latest installment of my Warning Signals column. Each week, I’m on the lookout for the players set to spoil your upcoming fantasy football matchups. Whether it’s a poor matchup, an injury to a key teammate, or a downturn in playing time, I want you to see the warning signals I’m seeing to avoid those poor showings.
Tony Pollard’s cold start to 2025 reached a new low in Week 6, and things won’t get any easier against the Patriots this weekend. Michael Carter’s big Week 5 was rewarded with a timeshare in Week 6, and even if he wins back the lead role in Week 7 it will be against a Green Bay’s tough defense. After back-to-back 142-yard games, Kendrick Bourne’s reign of terror is about to come to an abrupt end. Lastly, I set my sight on T.J. Hockenson for the second time this season.
Fantasy football can be hard to get right, but as they say, proper planning prevents poor performance. Being mindful of the trends and news that point to a down week is the first step in evaluating who starts and who sits in your next matchup. Here now are the Warning Signals that I picked up on heading into Week 7 of the fantasy football season.
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Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans
Times are tough for fantasy football managers who drafted Tony Pollard. Coming off three consecutive seasons where he racked up 1,000 rushing yards and at least 55 targets, Pollard seemed like a good RB2 value at his 56.8 ADP. Alas, through six games, he has provided those who selected him with just two top-24 finishes and ranks as the RB27.
Pollard’s came nearly to a halt against the Raiders in Week 6, when he handled 10 carries for 34 yards. Pollard acted as the Titans’ bellcow for the first four weeks of the season while Tyjae Spears was healing up from a preseason ankle injury, but saw his stake in the backfield regress slightly after Spears’ return in Week 5. With Tennessee playing from behind for much of Week 6, Pollard’s snap share dipped all the way down to 43% to Spears’ 59%. Given what we have seen from the Titans’ offense in 2025, they can be expected to be in such a position often, meaning more work for Spears at Pollard’s expense.
Tyjae Spears in Line for More Work Down the Stretch? https://t.co/7VfXZmcXdC
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 15, 2025
Another disappointing week is in store for Pollard in Week 7, when Tennessee squares off against the New England Patriots. The Pats have yet to allow a running back to reach 50 yards on the ground and are in a virtual tie for the lowest yards per carry allowed to the position (3.13, second to Seattle’s 3.12).
Bad matchup aside, the team is also in turmoil following the firing of head coach Brian Callahan, who will be replaced by Mike McCoy in an interim capacity. It is anyone’s guess how the change might affect Pollard, but based on his body of work thus far, there is little to indicate he will push his way past being a borderline RB2/3 this week.
Michael Carter, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Let’s rewind to Week 5 for just a moment. With Trey Benson (knee) following James Conner (foot) to injured reserve, Michael Carter was suddenly at the top of the Cardinals’ depth chart heading into their matchup against the Titans. Carter made the most of it, turning 23 touches into 73 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The reward for his efforts? A committee with Bam Knight (knee) in Week 6, wherein Carter was saw fewer snaps (37-32) and touches (12-11) than his teammate.
Knight opened Week 7 as a limited participant in the team’s first practice ahead of their meeting with the Green Bay Packers. Not only that, but Emari Demercado (ankle) logged a DNP. So is it time to get excited for a potential bellcow week for Carter as Arizona’s only healthy running back? Not quite.
For starters, before more is known about Knight’s status, my inclination is to assume that he was limited to start the week as a precautionary measure. Assuming he works his way off the injury report, the timeshare in Week 7 will be similar to what was seen in Week 6, with Knight getting the early down and oh-so-valuable goalline work and Carter relegated to third downs and two-minute drills.
Bam Knight evens it up!
AZvsIND on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/K6SLKnMT5y
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025
Secondly, we have to take a look at Carter’s efficiency. His Week 5 production was a boon for fantasy managers who were strapped in the running back department, but his big week was buoyed by the touchdown. Carter averaged 2.83 yards per carry in that contest, and in his limited action this year, he is gaining only 3.07 YPC. Again, assuming Knight can suit up and he serves as Arizona’s goalline back, it will be hard to count on Carter to get into the end zone on Sunday.
Finally, we need to consider the matchup, and in this case, it is a poor one. Quinshon Judkins did find success against the Packers in Week 3 (94 rushing yards, one TD), as did Javonte Williams in Week 4 (85 rushing yards, one TD), but Green Bay has otherwise made short work of opposing running backs, giving up just 66.2 rushing yards per game to the position. Carter has three strikes against him and should be kept out of lineups in Week 7.
Kendrick Bourne, WR, San Francisco 49ers
With Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) on the shelf in Week 5, Kendrick Bourne took over as the 49ers’ alpha receiver, catching 10 balls for 142 yards. He followed that up with another 142-yard day in Week 6, this time on five catches, even with Jennings back in action. Bourne made good on his opportunities amid the rash of injuries plaguing the 49ers, but the 30-year-old vet is due to come back to earth in Week 7.
Pearsall did not participate in the team’s first practice of Week 7, and Jennings was limited, offering hope that Bourne can stay at the top of the depth chart for another week. However, tight end George Kittle (hamstring) is gearing up to come off injured reserve, and if he does, the two-time All-Pro would take over as San Francisco’s primary target in the passing game.
Just as important as Bourne’s place in the pecking order is the opponent San Francisco is facing this week. Week 7 brings a meeting with the surprisingly stout defense of the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are one of three teams yet to allow a 100-yard game to an opposing wide receiver and are giving up just 125 yards per game collectively to the position.
Much of their success in the secondary is owed to the ability of their front seven to put pressure on quarterbacks. Atlanta has the fifth-highest pressure rate and third-highest sack rate in the league, which threatens to disrupt the 49ers’ passing attack. Bourne surpassed expectations over the last two weeks but it is unlikely the streak continues for a third game in a row in Week 7.
The Falcons’ defense is rolling. What’s been established at the second level is a big reason why. From The Insiders on NFL Network. pic.twitter.com/xaMXxqZ4hI
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) October 16, 2025
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time I’ve gone back to the well for a previous inclusion in this column. I named T.J. Hockenson in the Week 3 edition of Warning Signals, after he posted a mere four catches for 27 yards in the first two games of 2025. Naturally, he put up a 5-49-1 line that week. His production in the games that followed was an improvement over the dismal start, but Week 3 remains his only top-12 performance of the season. He ranks as the TE23 for the year.
Hockenson will have a hard time making it back into the TE1 conversation in Week 7. The Eagles are the first team Minnesota will face coming off their bye, and few teams have shut down tight ends like Philadelphia has this year. Travis Kelce posted 61 yards against them in Week 2, but no other tight end has tallied more than 33, and collectively the position is gaining just 28 yards per game against Philly. Hockenson made me eat my words in Week 3, but a bruised ego won't deter me from dodging an ugly matchup in Week 7.
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