This week, more than ever, bold predictions are going to be made by many fantasy football managers. We’ll all be calling upon players to outscore their projections in a time of need. With six NFL teams, full of fantasy-relevant players, on a bye, getting a fantasy football win this week is a very big deal.
With that said, it’s likely some, or all, of the below players make their way into starting lineups this weekend. There are more limited options than usual. So, instead of these weekly bold predictions convincing you to get said players into your lineups, let this be a confidence piece to boost the hype for the players we need in our lineups to score big in Week 7.
Each week, our Fantrax staff writers make their fantasy football bold predictions for you to get excited about, help sway those lineup decisions, and take your team to the moon!
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2021 NFL Week 7 Bold Predictions for Fantasy Football
Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles Tight End
Bold Prediction: 6 receptions, 80 yards, 1 touchdown
20.0 PPR fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Colin McTamany, @Colin_McT on Twitter
Colin’s Breakdown: This bold prediction is, of course, contingent upon Goedert’s removal from the Covid-19/Reserve List. I full expect him to play Sunday in Las Vegas, but, as of Wednesday, he remains on the list.
Assuming he’s out there, I love Goedert’s opportunity to command targets at the tight end position this week. In Goedert’s absence last week, Zach Ertz played 88% of snaps and ran a route 79% of the time. Now that Ertz is an Arizona Cardinal, I expect Goedert to slide right back in to this offense and contribute similarly, if not more. Speaking of the two, they both land inside the Fantrax Top-20 of Week 7 tight end rankings.
Jalen Hurts’ deep ball isn’t his best skill set, so look for Goedert to see a high volume of targets across the field and on shorter routes. In his first game in two weeks, my bold prediction is that Goedert racks up 20.0, or slightly more fantasy points, which is more than what any tight end is averaging this season.
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants Wide Receiver
Bold Prediction: 11 receptions, 125 yards, 1 touchdown
29.5 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Mike Omelan, @mikeomelan on Twitter
Mike’s Breakdown: Let’s not overthink this. The New York Giants’ offensive injury report is a disaster ahead of Week 7. Neither Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, or Darius Slayton are expected on the field this coming Sunday versus the Panthers.
This paves the way for Sterling Shepard, who is one of quarterback, Daniel Jones’, favorite targets. In three healthy games this season, Shepard averaged 11 targets per game. He finished those weeks as WR8, WR20, and WR19.
The Giants are three point underdogs at home in Week 7. Without Saquon Barkley, or the aforementioned wide receivers, out on the field, I am making the bold prediction that Shepard single-handedly carries this offense. There won’t really be anywhere else to throw, so treat Shepard as a low-end WR2 this week in fantasy football.
*Check out our Week 7 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears Quarterback
Bold Prediction: 264 passing yards, 1 touchdown; 9 rushes, 46 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
25.16 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Justin Dunbar, @talkMVP on Twitter
Justin’s Breakdown: Rookie quarterbacks have been just okay this season. In 10, or even 12-team, leagues, none of them have been worth plugging in as a starter. However, this week, with quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, and Justin Herbert on a bye, Justin Fields has an opportunity to fill their shoes for the week.
Last week against Green Bay, Fields tossed his second career touchdown pass. Furthermore, he posted the most rushing yards (43) of his young career. Fields’ ability to run the ball is what many are hoping to cash in on for fantasy football purposes sooner rather than later.
My Week 7 bold prediction has Fields performing at his absolute best yet in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers defensive line will likely force Fields out of the pocket more often than not, which would lend to some valuable rushing points. More importantly, the Buccaneers are allowing 280.8 passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks. I like Fields to get it done both through the air and on the ground.
James Conner, Arizona Cardinals Running Back
Bold Prediction: 20 rushes, 80 yards; 2 receptions, 15 yards; 2 total touchdowns
23.5 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Ahaan Rungta, @AhaanRungta on Twitter
Ahaan’s Breakdown: The Texans are unsurprisingly atrocious. They actually rank 11th in the NFL in pass DVOA as a defense. However, they make up for any skill in that department by ranking 29th in the NFL in rush DVOA. That type of rushing defense should be no match for the Cardinals, who have the fourth-highest run play rate in the NFL.
Arizona should cruise to a 7-0 record and the biggest fantasy beneficiary should be James Conner, who leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns inside the five yard line. In games that the Cardinals have won by multiple possessions, he’s averaging 54.3 rushing yards on 15.3 carries and 1 touchdown. Conner gives Kyler Murray and starting running back Chase Edmonds some rest this week. My bold prediction is that he finishes as a top running back and blows past his aforementioned averages in big-lead games.
Cordarelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons Running Back
Bold Prediction: 9 rushes, 53 rushing yards, 1 touchdown; 7 receptions, 63 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
30.6 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Lauren Auerbach, @lkauerbach on Twitter
Lauren’s Breakdown:
I’m rolling with Cordarrelle Patterson this week for my bold prediction. This is a player who’s played just under 40% of snaps on the season. However, Patterson has made the most of his limited usage, and a juicy Week 7 matchup against the Miami Dolphins should give him another opportunity to shine.
Since Week 2, Patterson has either totaled over 100 yards from scrimmage or scored a touchdown. While he has five touchdowns this season, his scoring frequency is boom-or-bust. In fact, he has two games with multiple touchdowns and three games with no touchdowns.
This week, Patterson should be able to take advantage of Miami’s porous defense. The Dolphins have allowed seven rushing touchdowns and 13 receiving touchdowns this season, tied for fifth and fourth-most, respectively. They’ve also given up the third-most total yards through six weeks. For my bold prediction, I like Patterson’s chances to total over 100 yards from scrimmage and score multiple touchdowns this week.
Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders Wide Receiver
Bold Prediction: 6 receptions, 138 yards, 1 touchdown
25.8 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Mick Ciallela, @themick23 on Twitter
Mick’s Breakdown: Henry Ruggs has a reputation as an inconsistent fantasy receiver, but that has not been the case so far in 2021. He is one of eight wide receivers to have at least 45 receiving yards in all six games this year. Next on the docket for Ruggs and the Raiders is a date with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles have played solid defense this season, as they have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts. However, we recently saw Tyreek Hill obliterate them just three weeks ago. In that game, Hill had 186 receiving yards and scored three touchdowns. He also had a would-be score reversed after an official review.
Ruggs does not have as high a ceiling as Hill. Hill is a more polished route runner and a more integral part of his team’s offense. However, Ruggs is one of the few wide receivers in the league who can match the Cheetah’s speed. He should have opportunities to make big plays down the field and after the catch. I look for Ruggs to have a big day on Sunday and score big with my bold prediction.
More fantasy football fun for Week 7: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Buy-Low, Sell-High Trade Targets | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | QB Streamers | D/ST Streamers |
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