Welcome to the Week 7 edition of Mick’s Pick Six. This is my weekly look at the top fantasy football streamers at each position. I am going position by position to find those undervalued players who have favorable matchups but are going overlooked in most leagues. Finding streamers and exploiting matchups is what separates the wheat from the chaff, and I am here to offer my thoughts. Here are my Week 7 streamers.
Week 7 Streamers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I really wanted to go with someone less obvious. I kept checking Mayfield’s ownership and startership percentages, waiting for that inevitable spike. But it never came. Not only did it not come, his ownership percentage actually decreased this week. What?!? Let me do a quick little breakdown of Mayfield’s Week 7 opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here are the current per game averages of quarterbacks who have faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season:
367 passing yards, 3.2 touchdowns, 0.51 interception rate, 9.3 yards per attempt, 129.5 quarterback rating, 16:1 touchdown: interception ratio
And here are the NFL single-season records for quarterbacks in those categories. (Passing yards, touchdowns, and interceptions are listed as per-game averages over 16 games.)
342.3 passing yards, 3.4 touchdowns, 0.39 interception rate, 10.6 yards per attempt, 122.5 quarterback rating, 14:1 touchdown: interception ratio
Basically, the average quarterback who faces the 2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers is putting up numbers that would rank among the greatest single-season quarterbacks of all time. Sure, those numbers are a bit skewed when you factor in the precipitous rise in passing efficiency we have seen this season. But it does not change the fact that the Bucs have been beyond inept in defending the pass so far this year. And I don’t think that trend suddenly corrects itself by changing defensive coordinators.
Now that I have laid out how awful Tampa’s pass defense is, let’s get into Baker Mayfield’s availability. Mayfield is owned in 68 percent of leagues but is currently active in just 26 percent. There are 21 quarterbacks who are active in more leagues than Mayfield. Considering the matchup, this is borderline criminal underutilization. There is no way in the world that Mayfield plays this entire game and finishes as low as the QB22. None. I will stake anything you want on this. Seriously, comment below and let me know what you want from me if he finishes that low. I am all in on Baker Mayfield this week.
If you already have an elite quarterback and cannot find it within yourself to play Mayfield this week, he should still at least be added where available. Following this game, he has matchups with Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Atlanta. Each of those teams is among the five worst at allowing quarterback fantasy production. At the very least, stashing him gives you an excellent insurance policy in case your quarterback goes down. It also prevents another owner in your league from picking him up and riding the wave. Pick up Baker Mayfield now. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Just do it.
Running Back
Frank Gore, Miami Dolphins v. Detroit Lions
The ageless Frank Gore continues to astound and amaze. Gore ran for 101 yards against the Chicago Bears last week. That performance opened up some eyes, especially because no running back prior to last week had as many as 50 rushing yards against the Bears. Gore will have a more exploitable matchup this week when Miami hosts the Detroit Lions.
Detroit has been particularly kind to opposing running backs so far this season. The Lions have allowed 5.98 yards per carry to the position this year. They might as well be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of run defense. Gore remains in a pretty even timeshare with Kenyon Drake, but he should see enough opportunities to remain fantasy relevant in this matchup. I would expect the Dolphins to ride both running backs in this game, as Brock Osweiler will once again get the start at quarterback. Gore is active in just 26 percent of leagues and is still available in 35 percent of leagues. The veteran is not necessarily a recommended play in PPR formats but should be a solid Flex play with a shot at RB2 production in standard leagues.
Wide Receiver
Willie Snead, Baltimore Ravens v. New Orleans Saints
Willie Snead has quietly been a very serviceable PPR play at the wide receiver position this season. Snead has posted double-digit fantasy points in five of six games so far on the year. Snead should be able to eclipse that threshold once again when the Baltimore Ravens host the New Orleans Saints.
New Orleans has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2018. That, in a vacuum, is noteworthy. But it’s even more damning of the Saints’ defense when you consider the quarterbacks they have faced. Here’s the list – Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyrod Taylor, Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, and Alex Smith. Two of those quarterbacks have since lost their jobs, and a third may in short order. Yet these quarterbacks all managed to squeeze out solid production for their wideouts when facing the Saints. Say what you will about Joe Flacco, but I am confident that he can exploit this matchup as well.
When mining for Week 7 streamers, it helps to have an angle. And this week we have one with Snead. The revenge narrative will be in full effect for the former Saint. I think Baltimore will find a way to get Snead a scoring opportunity. If he cashes in, Snead will easily find himself among the top-36 wide receivers for the week. He has a chance to finish as high as a WR2 in PPR formats and is an excellent choice for those needing a sneaky wide receiver play.
Tight End
C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs
I am going back to the well with Uzomah, who finished 11th at the position with 54 receiving yards last week. He saw seven targets in that game, which highlights his role in Cincinnati’s passing offense. Uzomah should continue to be highly involved when Cincinnati heads out to Kansas City to face the Chiefs this week. The Sunday night showdown has the week’s highest projected total and should be a solid source of fantasy goodness for the fourth-year pro out of Auburn.
Kansas City has allowed a league-high 550 receiving yards to enemy tight ends this year. An individual tight end has finished with at least 57 receiving yards in five straight games against the Chiefs. This group includes such stalwarts as Jesse James, Jeff Heuerman, and Niles Paul. Uzomah should be able to add his name to this list after this game. He is still available in 57 percent of leagues and is active in just 28 percent. In a week where several prominent tight ends including Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook are on a bye, C.J. Uzomah makes for a very nice fill-in.
Defense
Indianapolis Colts v. Buffalo Bills
The Colts’ D/ST unit feels like a very chalky play this week. The Buffalo Bills are turning over the reins to Derek Anderson, who has thrown 168 passes since 2010. Anderson was signed less than two weeks ago, so it’s not as if we are even talking about someone who has had time to absorb the entire playbook. The Colts should be able to handle an already limited offense. Indianapolis has been the most added defense this week, but are still only owned in 43 percent of leagues. If the Colts’ D/ST is available this week, scoop them up and play them with confidence this week. They are the week’s top streamer.
Kicker
Jason Myers, New York Jets v. Minnesota Vikings
Let me first say that if you are in one of the 16 percent of leagues where Greg Zuerlein is available, he is your kicker add. If not, Jason Myers makes a lot of sense here. Yes, there is an element to chasing last week’s points here, which I am never a fan of. But for what it’s worth, Minnesota has allowed the fourth-most points per game to opposing kickers this season. Following last week’s ridiculous seven field goal, three extra point performance, Myers now leads all NFL kickers in fantasy points. Despite this, Myers is owned in just 39 percent of leagues. He makes for a solid streaming option this week, and should also be a serviceable replacement for Matt Bryant owners.
Extra Point
Jermaine Kearse, New York Jets v. Minnesota Vikings
The Extra Point craze is sweeping the nation! OK, that’s probably not true, but the results have been there so far. Both of my deep dives have resulted in fantasy starter production from players who were barely rostered and started. This week I’m digging for another hidden gem, and that gem comes in the form of Jermaine Kearse of the New York Jets. The stars are aligning for Kearse to go from fantasy afterthought to week-winner when he squares off with the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7.
Early in the season, Quincy Enunwa was Sam Darnold’s go-to receiver. The slot man performed admirably, averaging 69.5 receiving yards through the first four games. However, injuries have hit Enunwa hard recently. He played through a hand injury in Week 5 in a game that resulted in a goose egg. Last week, he suffered a high ankle sprain which will likely cause him to miss multiple weeks. In his stead, Jermaine Kearse and Terrelle Pryor have picked up the slack. Pryor has caught a touchdown in each of the last two weeks, but it is Kearse who has seen a much higher snap rate and target share. Last week, Kearse played 83.1 percent of the snaps, including 71.4 percent in the slot, where Enunwa had done most of his early-season damage. Kearse saw ten targets, catching nine for 94 yards.
Kearse was already likely to see the most targets among Jets’ receivers in Week 7, and his outlook is only enhanced by the fact that Pryor has yet to practice this week due to a groin injury. If Pryor indeed misses this game, Kearse could see one of the league’s highest target shares this week. He also has a favorable individual matchup. Rookie cornerback Mike Hughes suffered a torn ACL last week, leaving Mackensie Alexander to man the slot on defense. Alexander has allowed 19 receptions on 22 targets in coverage, so Kearse should be able to have success. Jermaine Kearse is owned in only 33 percent of leagues and is currently active in just 13 percent. I believe he has much higher upside than those numbers would suggest. I think he is a WR3 with WR2 upside in this matchup, making him one of my favorite Week 7 streamers.
For more Mick, please check out his Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings! Mick is a proven winner and his rankings deliver week after week.
Mick Ciallela has been writing for FantraxHQ since July 2017. He has also written for Bleacher Report. He is a lifelong sports fan and has been an avid fantasy sports player for many years. Mick was the Overall Champion of both the 2016 Football Challenge – Roto and 2017 Play 3 Football contests hosted by CDM Sports. Mick was born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York and currently resides in New London, Connecticut.
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