RADIO
C.J. Anderson was a big, huge, fat bust last week and I totally missed on that. There, I feel better now. No, not really. While we're all trying to predict the future here and wrong quite a bit, it never feels good to be totally wrong when you're putting it out there for thousands to read. Everything in the name of logic pointed to a big day for Anderson. The Broncos have a great defense, they were playing at home, the Giants have a pitiful offense, they were on the brink of a mutiny... I could go on but we all know what happened. The 0-5 Giants suddenly flipped the script and Anderson was limited to nine carries for 17 yards.
This might be a good time that I also mentioned Mark Ingram, Davante Adams, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins as heroes for last week, but that list also included Jamison Crowder. The point is we can't change the past, but we can learn from it. I won't put C.J. Anderson that high ever again because he's too dependent on game script, but I also won't underestimate a team with its back against the wall. That said, how do you like the 49ers this week against the Cowboys? Just a rhetorical question. Or is it?
Now, let's get to my fantasy "heroes" and "zeroes" at each position for Week 7 of the NFL season. For my full opinion on all fantasy-relevant players, you can check out how my rankings stack up against the other experts this week, or simply consult our RotoBaller consensus rankings.
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Week 7 Lineup Heroes
QUARTERBACK
Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills - I'm not particularly enthused by the return of Jordan Matthews or the fact that Charles Clay will be out for several weeks. I am pretty juiced about this matchup against a reeling Tampa team that is in the bottom 10 for nearly every category on pass defense and allows 301.6 passing yards per game. Only the Patriots are worse in that respect (and he gets them twice during fantasy playoff season, FYI). I had faith in Tampa's D to start the season, but it's obvious they have too much youth on their side and first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves has been highly flammable this year. Taylor is going to fly under the radar this week, but could be in a nice spot to produce QB1 results.
Notables Worth Mentioning: Ben Roethlisberger, Marcus Mariota
RUNNING BACKS
Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts - I'm not going to claim that Robert Turbin makes or breaks anything on the fantasy landscape, but his season-ending surgery just further nudges Mack's value up. Many a fantasy owner might be giving up on Mack after he saw just two carries last week, but you have to keep in mind that Tennessee's weakness comes in the secondary. Jacksonville presents the opposite dilemma. They have completely clamped down on opposing passers, but allow a league-worst 5.2 Y/A and second most rushing yards total. Mack won't see 20 carries, but he may not need to. He averages a healthy 4.8 Y/A and has shown his breakaway ability back in Week 5. In this day and age of unpredictable RB workloads, he presents the highest ceiling of the flex considerations in his tier.
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints - The rookies truly are taking over! Kamara will clearly be playing behind Mark Ingram, who had his breakout moment last week. However, Kamara saw a season-high 10 carries last week and looks just as explosive as fellow rookie Dalvin Cook did. The difference, of course, is workload. Kamara could see a slight uptick in rush attempts if the Packers can't muster enough offense to make this a game, but if it becomes a shootout, then he'll simply reel in more passes. His high ceiling in PPR leagues makes him a virtual must-start each week regardless of opponent, but this matchup favors him especially well.
Notables Worth Mentioning: Duke Johnson, James White, Chris Thompson
WIDE RECEIVERS
Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints - Am I bullish on the Saints this week? Is gumbo best served with cornbread and tabasco? Those answers are both a rhetorical yes, if you don't follow. Thomas has struggled against top-flight CBs like Darius Slay last week and Xavier Rhodes in Week 1. He has otherwise had his way against mediocre secondaries, catching at least five passes and 87 yards in the other three games with two scores. This week he gets the Packers with no Quinten Rollins and three other DBs on the injury report. It's feast time in N'awlins! Or in Lambeau Field, since that's where they're actually playing.
Taylor Gabriel, Atlanta Falcons - What does Bill Belichick do best? Take away your biggest weapon. The ridiculously bad secondary in New England will have to shift safeties and use press coverage to keep Jones from burning them. That should clear up room for the secondary targets. While I'm big on Austin Hooper this week, he's probably an obvious start already. Gabriel won't see a ton of targets, but if I'm looking for a high-ceiling flex, I'd rather take a chance on the guy with a career 14.2 yards per reception rather than one who primarily works underneath and comes in with a gimpy hamstring (Mohamed Sanu).
Notables Worth Mentioning: Bennie Fowler, Kenny Stills, Cooper Kupp
TIGHT END
Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons - While I'd gladly write at length about Austin Seferian-Jenkins, I did that last week in a remarkable feat of prognostication by predicting he would have his way against the Patriots. Look, it doesn't take a genius to know that starting skill players against this year's version of the Pats is a good idea. Hooper hasn't been an every-week starting consideration at TE just yet, but he's getting there. He caught five of seven targets in Week 4 and then seven of nine targets in Week 6 with a bye week sandwiched in between. Even better, he was on the field over 90% of the time last week. Hooper looks primed to become a major contributor and his emergence should take another step forward in Week 7.
Notables Worth Mentioning: George Kittle, David Njoku
Week 7 Lineup Zeroes
QUARTERBACKS
Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals - Dalton is coming off a week of rest which follows two straight games of high fantasy production. Things seem to be going well in Bengalia, which as far as our president knows is an independent republic on the African continent. The rest of season outlook for Cincy has vastly improved, but they are about to run into an angry team motivated to quiet much of the noise surrounding them. Pittsburgh has been schizophrenic in its run defense this season, but the passing game hasn't been a problem. The Steel Curtain hasn't allowed more than 223 passing yards or multiple TD passes in a game yet this season. Don't get cute and try Dalton out as a contrarian play anywhere. You might be better off going with Brett Hundley or Josh McCown instead if you're in a two-QB league or looking for a value play in daily leagues.
Notables Worth Mentioning: Russell Wilson, Trevor Siemian
RUNNING BACKS
LeGarrette Blount, Philadelphia Eagles - After Week 2, Blount looked outright droppable. Since then, he's been a man on a mission and has raised his rushing average to a robust 5.6 yards per carry. The thing is, he hasn't carried more than 16 times in a game and has scored just once on the ground. In a gradual role reversal, his perceived value is now higher than what he's actually delivering. His 3.2 Efficiency rating puts him second among all RB this season (would you believe Orleans Darkwa is #1?), but he isn't getting enough volume to be a sure thing as a fantasy starter. The fact remains that he is what we thought he was - a touchdown-dependent big back with a very shaky floor in PPR leagues.
Notables Worth Mentioning: Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon
WIDE RECEIVERS
Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers - This should come as no surprise if you've been following the Steelers WR this season. I only have two words to analyze Bryant at this point: fade and trade. If you own him, try not to. It's unlikely that you get much back for him, but it's better than nothing. If you can't, then keep him benched even in this matchup against a shaky Bengals defense. Sometimes we hear the narrative of a motivational game for an embattled player where he proves the public wrong. In this case, I have no concerns about that. Bryant only has one TD on the season and has gone over three catches just once as well. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if he isn't scoring, he isn't worth playing.
Jamison Crowder, Washington Redskins - You can call this a complete 180 because I mistakenly put Crowder in my Heroes section last week. I'm not calling his season over just yet, but I know that this week he faces top-rated slot corner Patrick Robinson. If he couldn't produce in two easy matchups the last two weeks, there's no reason to hold out hope for Monday night. He hasn't reached the end zone at all in 2017 and has just three red zone targets on a team that is spreading the ball out more than ever.
Notables Worth Mentioning: Tyrell Williams, DeSean Jackson, Mike Wallace
TIGHT END
Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Anyone who faded Brate in their preseason draft rankings is regretting that move right about now. O.J. Howard isn't going to pose a realistic threat to Brate's target share this season. Brate still has the trust of his quarterback, particularly in the red zone where he is just one target shy of team leader Mike Evans (nine). He's riding a four-game TD streak and has solidified himself as a regular TE1. This week could see that streak end, however, as he's going to be on the receiving end of passes from a banged-up Jameis Winston and facing a defense that is yet to cede a touchdown to a tight end this season. While Arizona forced Tampa into a shootout last week, Buffalo prefers to keep things on the ground and could limit the Bucs' total snaps on offense. He isn't someone you should bench because you probably don't have a better option at the position, but I wouldn't pony up in DFS for him this week.
Notables Worth Mentioning: Jason Witten, Jack Doyle
