Joe Burrow looks to take advantage of a shaky Falcons pass defense, Tom Brady attempts to get on track vs. Carolina, and Dak Prescott comes off injury against the Lions.
Other positions: Running Back | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Updated 10/21 at 6:30 PM ET. Removed Russell Wilson. Added Mac Jones.
Week 7 Quarterbacks
RK | Player | Opp |
1 | Lamar Jackson | CLE |
2 | @SF | |
3 | ATL | |
4 | SEA | |
5 | NO | |
6 | @CAR | |
7 | PIT | |
8 | DET | |
9 | HOU | |
10 | KC | |
11 | @LAC | |
12 | @TEN | |
13 | @WAS | |
14 | NYG | |
15 | @DAL | |
16 | @JAC | |
17 | @MIA | |
18 | @CIN | |
19 | IND | |
20 | @NE | |
21 | @BAL | |
22 | CHI | |
23 | @DEN | |
24 | @ARI | |
25 | @LV | |
26 | NYJ | |
27 | GB | |
28 | PJ Walker | TB |
QB Notes: Lamar Jackson has three total touchdowns over the past three weeks … and has remained the QB13 by average points. So is the fantasy power of rushing yards for quarterbacks. With his touchdown rate bound to regress to the mean — both through the air and on the ground — L-Jax is a sensible QB1 overall choice vs. a Browns defense that is looking like it might just stink. … The owner of fantasy football’s highest floor, Patrick Mahomes continues to mix in plenty of ceiling. An injured 49ers defense is not as imposing of a matchup as it appears on paper. … Joe Burrow is doing his best Mahomes impression as a high-floor option still spiking weeks. He has provided fewer than 21.5 points one time all year. He cleared 35 in Week 6. Only Tennessee is allowing more weekly passing yards than Atlanta. … Largely stinking up the fantasy joint since injuring his ribs in Week 2, Justin Herbert should finally be getting Keenan Allen (hamstring) back against what is probably pound-for-pound the worst defense in the league, Seattle. That’s why I am keeping the top-five faith even after Monday’s debacle of a performance.
Speaking of debacles, there is the Cardinals’ passing game, one that will now be missing Marquise Brown (foot). It will be adding DeAndre Hopkins (suspension) and Robbie Anderson (trade), but that is a lot of moving parts for a short-week Thursday matchup with the Saints. Murray remains in the top-six because his dual threat has continued to get home as he stays off the injury report. … I had an extensive writeup on Tom Brady in my Sunday Aftermath column. The short of it? Brady appears physically fine and it all remains right there for the taking. He is averaging 47 attempts over his past four starts, fantasy manna. Week 7 opponent Carolina is looking like an expansion team. It is time for Brady’s inevitable, if perhaps final, run to begin. … I have no qualms immediately reinserting a returning Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) as a mid-range QB1. With Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson each posting usable numbers in Tagovailoa’s absence, it has become clear that new Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is doing some of the heavy lifting for his quarterbacks. Together, Tua and McDaniel will be facing a Steelers defense missing approximately three too many key players.
Joining Tagovailoa as a triumphant Week 7 returner is Dak Prescott (foot). Starting for the first time since Week 1, Prescott has a smash spot in a Lions defense coughing up the second most quarterback fantasy points. There is a risk that the run- and defense-based Cowboys ease Prescott back in with a conservative approach, but hopefully the Lions have a good enough game plan coming off their bye week to at least keep the proceedings close. … This is the part of the board where we already begin to run out of ideas. However you slice it, some not great players or setups are going to have to get QB1 rankings this week. I’ll split the difference at No. 9, going with decent player Derek Carr in a strong spot against the Texans. Carr had his best 2022 performance heading into the Raiders’ Week 6 bye. The Texans are a plus home matchup. … Jimmy Garoppolo, unwatchable though he is, gets a matchup-based QB1 ranking against the Chiefs. He has the means (Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk) and the Week 7 motive (matching points with Patrick Mahomes). The 49ers aren’t going to able to run-muddle their way through this one.
I am admittedly an unreliable Geno Smith narrator. A skeptic, I was a week or two slow to get him into the top 12. I may also be a little too willing to seize on one bad start, but that is what Smith had in Week 6 against the Cardinals. The Chargers’ defense has left a lot to be desired but did become the latest unit to contain Russell Wilson. Smith could have to be in “match points” mode for Week 7, and that is where he has struggled this season. It all adds up to a borderline QB1 situation to me. No one should be surprised if/when the Geno rug gets pulled. … Forcing Matt Ryan into the QB1 mix feels a bit point chasey, though he does check in as the QB15 by average points. That number rises to QB14 if you eliminate Joe Flacco. Even with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) returning, it stands to reason the Colts may try to replicate last week’s up-tempo, high-volume passing attack. Surrendering the fifth most quarterback fantasy points, the Titans are an A+ matchup. … Running out of ideas. Aaron Rodgers has won back-to-back MVPs and maybe has a few rabbits to pull out of his hat? Hopefully? Please? At least the Commanders stink.
Whereas we can still plausibly count on Rodgers to play better, it is becoming increasingly unclear if the same is true for Russell Wilson. A Week 6 where he completed 3-of-11 post-halftime passes for 15 yards felt like rock bottom. Fresh off stymying the aforementioned Rodgers, the Jets are on tap for Week 7. … Although it has frequently been ugly, Trevor Lawrence has been finding ways to get his fantasy numbers. The Giants are not an overly appealing matchup. … The good: Jared Goff should be getting D’Andre Swift back, not to mention a healthier Amon-Ra St. Brown. The bad: It is against Micah Parsons’ Cowboys. This is probably an aspirational rank, but the Lions’ offense has exceeded expectations more weeks than not. … Justin Fields has finally shown some fantasy signs of life, but @BillBelichick is arguably the worst possible Week 7 assignment he could have drawn. … I would probably force Jameis Winston into the top 15 if he gets the call, but most signs point toward Andy Dalton against the Cardinals. … It’s hard to call Marcus Mariota a dual threat since he isn’t passing at all. Daniel Jones has a better overall 2022 dual-threat pedigree, not to mention a better Week 7 matchup.
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