Week 7 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

Week 7 figures to be a bit more difficult to navigate for fantasy managers due to the bye weeks. Two of the top ten scoring running backs are off this week, as is another top-24 back. The top three fantasy wide receivers are also off, as well as three more among the top 16. Dallas Goedert is the only top-16 fantasy tight end who has the week off. But tight end scoring is such a crapshoot that there is not a ton of difference between Goedert’s weekly output (9.12 points per game in half-PPR scoring) and 16th-ranked Tyler Conklin’s (6.32 points per game). Regardless of how this week’s byes impact you, my Week 7 Flex rankings should help prepare you for the week ahead. So enough talk – let’s get to it!

Running Back Notes

While we never root for injury, those with Melvin Gordon had to at least feel good about his prospects once Javonte Williams went down for the year. Including the Week 4 game in which Williams suffered the injury, here are Gordon’s last three rushing lines:

3-8-0
15-54-0
3-8-0

While Gordon was decent enough in Denver’s Week 5 loss, Mike Boone garnered plenty of attention as he turned 10 touches into 85 total yards. But that was nothing compared to what Gordon’s managers had to endure last week. The Broncos, having signed Latavius Murray just days prior, saw enough to entrust him to lead Denver’s rushing attack with 15 rushes for 66 yards while Gordon stewed on the sidelines. It seems for now that cooler heads have prevailed in recent days. Gordon and head coach Nathaniel Hackett have reportedly met and cleared the air. Following that conversation, Hackett claimed that Gordon is in line to start in Week 7. But I do not think he can be trusted as a full-time player given the situation.

We already know that Hackett cannot be trusted with clock management, and Russell Wilson appears to be regressing in Denver’s offense. So I am not trusting that Gordon is going to suddenly dominate touches when Hackett has shown no indication of giving Gordon the lion’s share of the work, even with Williams out of the picture. The New York Jets have been very hit-or-miss in terms of defending the run game. They limited Green Bay’s dynamic duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon to 60 scoreless yards last week. But they also allowed three rushing scores to Nick Chubb, as well as 113 yards and a touchdown to Raheem Mostert. If we knew that Gordon was getting 15-plus touches, I would be fine starting him. But I think this is a backfield I would prefer to avoid this week. Hopefully, this game offers some clarity in the pecking order.

After an overall RB2 finish in Week 1, Jonathan Taylor was just the RB36 from Weeks 2 through 4. Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay took over duties in Week 5, as both Taylor and Nyheim Hines were sidelined. Neither posted a top-24 finish, but both were serviceable. In Week 6, however, Jackson did more than his fair share. He had 121 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, finishing the week as the overall RB1. It was a bummer for those with Taylor, but fantasy managers who missed out shouldn’t feel too bad. Taylor is practicing in full this week, and he should play on Sunday when the Colts face the Tennessee Titans. For now, I have Taylor ranked as an RB2 in 12-team leagues, but that will change barring any setbacks between now and Sunday.

As for the rest of the Colts’ backfield, I would imagine the hierarchy reverts to what it was before Taylor and Hines went down. That is, Taylor is the main man, with Hines getting some ancillary work, mostly in the passing game. In those three weeks where Taylor was the RB36, Hines was the RB54, while Jackson checked in at RB122. Jackson essentially goes from RB1 to likely drop candidate in a week. Such is the nature of fantasy football, especially at the running back position. I suppose you can hold him in the event he usurps some of Hines’ touches. But as long as Taylor is back in the fold, no other Colts’ running back will be a recommended Flex play.

Travis Etienne has now outrushed James Robinson in three consecutive games, and by a considerable margin. Over those three weeks, Etienne has carried the ball 28 times for 189 yards. By contrast, Robinson has just 110 rushing yards on 30 carries over that span. Etienne also has 65 receiving yards during this stretch, compared to just 13 for Robinson. At the very least, this is a split backfield, with the arrow pointing upward on Etienne. I currently have both Jaguars backs ranked right at the cusp of Flex consideration. Etienne is my RB26 and Robinson my RB27. The Giants have been shredded to the tune of 5.48 yards per carry by opposing running backs this season, including last week’s 10-119-1 line by the previously left-for-dead Kenyan Drake. I have no issue starting either Jacksonville running back as a Week 7 Flex play.

Speaking of Drake, he could be relevant once again this week if J.K. Dobbins is unable to go. Dobbins’ knee locked up early in Baltimore’s loss to the Giants last week. That opened up the door for Drake. And to his credit, he responded with a big game. Dobbins did not practice on Wednesday, so pay attention to the latest news before blindly starting him. I do think he will be ready to go Sunday, and I will likely bump him inside my top 20 for the week in the event he plays. Fantasy managers with Dobbins should hope that he can suit up. Dobbins would stand to fare well against a Cleveland Browns defense that has surrendered a league-high 10 total touchdowns to opposing backs, as well as 5.43 yards per rush. Drake would be a desperation Flex play based on the matchup if Dobbins cannot go.

Brian Robinson led Washington’s backfield last week, leaving Antonio Gibson fending for scraps. Robinson did score a touchdown but did not look all that impressive doing so. In his defense, he was shot multiple times less than two months ago. But we do not grade on a curve in fantasy football. Gibson only mustered a handful of carries but busted one for 18 yards en route to 35 rushing yards. Robinson managed just 60 on 17 carries. I am expecting a bit more even of a split this week. The good news for both backs is that they have a favorable matchup against a Green Bay run defense that has sprung some leaks of late. Over the last two weeks, Green Bay has allowed opposing running backs to average 5.47 yards per rush with three total touchdowns.

The Commanders are a slight underdog, but the Packers haven’t exactly been able to light up the scoreboard this season. They have averaged just under 18 points per game this year, and have scored a total of just 21 points in their two previous road games. The Washington offense will be led this week by Taylor Heinicke, as Carson Wentz suffered a broken finger in last week’s victory. I expect Washington to keep the ball on the ground in an attempt to limit exposure to Heinicke against a Packers’ pass rush that generates pressure on 36 percent of dropbacks, second in the NFL. I have Robinson ranked slightly ahead of Gibson, and both are just beyond the normal Flex range. However, either or both could be viable depending on your other options. J.D. McKissic could factor in as well, particularly in PPR formats.

Wide Receiver Notes

The Arizona Cardinals will have a much different look to their receiving corps when they take on the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. Marquise Brown, who enters Week 7 as the overall WR6 in half-PPR scoring, is sidelined with a fracture in his foot. He is expected to miss the next four-to-six weeks. On the bright side, DeAndre Hopkins has finished serving his six-game suspension. Given the chemistry forged between Brown and Kyler Murray, there may have been some questions as to whether Hopkins would regain his status as the team’s alpha receiver. Those questions are null and void with Brown out. While there may be some rust, Hopkins should easily reclaim his spot atop the target tree. I have Hopkins ranked 14th among wide receivers this week.

The Cardinals also traded for former Panthers wideout Robbie Anderson. After producing 102 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, Anderson accounted for just 104 yards without a touchdown over his final five games as a Panther. Anderson certainly gets an upgrade going from Carolina to Arizona, especially with Brown out for the foreseeable future. However, I am not expecting anything from Anderson this week. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has already stated that if Anderson plays at all, he will be very limited. I think Rondale Moore is a fine Week 7 Flex play. I have him ranked 37th among wideouts this week. Moore will matchup most often with Saints’ slot corner Justin Evans, who has been solid in coverage. But I think the volume (13 catches over the last two weeks) will be enough to get him over the hump as a fantasy starter.

On the other side of the ball, the Saints have once again ruled out both Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry. The good news is that rookie standout Chris Olave is in line to return on Thursday. Head coach Dennis Allen has yet to name a starting quarterback, but both Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton are without injury designations heading into the week. Fantasy managers need to start Olave regardless of who is calling the signals on Thursday night, though Winston’s aggressive nature would provide Olave with a higher ceiling. Marquez Callaway and Tre’Quan Smith should round out the receiving corps, but neither is a recommended Week 7 option unless you are in a bind due to injuries and bye weeks. The Bills, Eagles, Vikings, and Rams are off this week, so several high-quality wideouts will be forced onto fantasy benches.

I currently have Rashod Bateman as my WR60, which is well outside the range for Flex consideration. But Bateman did return to practice on Wednesday. That could indicate that this is the week Bateman returns after missing the past two weeks due to a foot injury. Bateman has accounted for at least 59 receiving yards in all three games he was able to complete. However, I would not necessarily say that type of performance is his floor. He only had 16 targets over those three weeks where he totaled 226 yards. That hyper-efficiency is not sustainable in the long term, but it is that ability to make the big play that has fantasy managers anxiously awaiting Bateman’s return to action. If he is cleared to play, I would likely start him against a struggling Denzel Ward.

Tight End Notes

Albert Okwuegbunam was a popular sleeper at the tight end position. That has not worked out very well for Albert O or his fantasy managers. Okwuegbunam has just 50 receiving yards through five weeks. But a new potential fantasy-relevant tight end has emerged among the rubble that is the Broncos’ offense. Greg Dulcich, the team’s third-round draft pick, made his much anticipated NFL debut last week after missing all of training camp and Denver’s first five games with a hamstring injury. And Dulcich did not disappoint. He caught two passes for 44 yards and a touchdown last week. As is the case with most tight ends, he could be touchdown-dependent. However, given the state of the position (only five tight ends including Taysom Hill average north of 10 fantasy points per game), Dulcich could be an interesting option moving forward.

Another intriguing tight end could be Cade Otton of Tampa Bay, though the circumstances are a bit more ominous. Cameron Brate suffered what appeared to be a serious neck injury in Tampa Bay’s upset loss in Pittsburgh on Sunday. I was there, and it was a scary scene to see unfold live. X-rays were negative, but I would not expect to see Brate back on the field anytime soon. That means Otton should get most of the reps at tight end. Otton dropped a would-be touchdown earlier in the game, so that does not figure to endear him to Tom Brady and the coaching staff. But sometimes availability is the best ability, so Otton should get some run over the next few weeks. I have him outside my top 20 this week, but he is someone to monitor.

Week 7 Flex Rankings

More Week 7 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex Rankings