C.J. Stroud fights for more fantasy respect, Patrick Mahomes confronts the most difficult matchup in football, and Kyler Murray comes off bye to a finally healthy supporting cast.
Other positions: Running Back | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Week 7 Quarterbacks
| 1 | Drake Maye | NE | at CHI |
| 2 | Jordan Love | GB | at DET |
| 3 | Brock Purdy | SF | at ATL |
| 4 | Joe Burrow | CIN | at BAL |
| 5 | Jared Goff | DET | vs. GB |
| 6 | Caleb Williams | CHI | vs. NE |
| 7 | Bryce Young | CAR | vs. TB |
| 8 | Matthew Stafford | LAR | at LV |
| 9 | Dak Prescott | DAL | at PHI |
| 10 | C.J. Stroud | HOU | vs. NYG |
| 11 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | at SEA |
| 12 | Kyler Murray | MIN | vs. IND |
| 13 | Kirk Cousins | LV | vs. LAR |
| 14 | Aaron Rodgers | PIT | at NO |
| 15 | Baker Mayfield | TB | at CAR |
| 16 | Tyler Shough | NO | vs. PIT |
| 17 | Geno Smith | NYJ | vs. MIA |
| 18 | Bo Nix | DEN | at ARI |
| 19 | Michael Penix Jr. | ATL | vs. SF |
| 20 | Jacoby Brissett | ARI | vs. DEN |
| 21 | J.J. McCarthy | NYG | at HOU |
| 22 | Sam Darnold | SEA | vs. KC |
| 23 | Deshaun Watson | CLE | at TEN |
| 24 | Malik Willis | MIA | at NYJ |
| 25 | Tanner McKee | PHI | vs. DAL |
| 26 | Tyler Huntley | BAL | vs. CIN |
| 27 | Daniel Jones | IND | at MIN |
| 28 | Cam Ward | TEN | vs. CLE |
QB Notes: Drake Maye has been far and away the QB1 overall by average points since he got good again three weeks ago. That’s despite a Week 6 start that saw Romeo Doubs depart after one catch with a shoulder injury and A.J. Brown turn in one of the worst 10-target performances in recent memory. Maye’s chemistry or lack thereof with AJB will be of the utmost concern going forward, but there’s not much concern of any kind heading into Thursday evening’s high-totaled showdown with the Bears’ “shaky” defense. … Similar to Maye, Jordan Love also “got good” again recently, though the box score returns have not been quite as explosive. That should change Sunday in Detroit vs. a Lions pass defense in the running to be the league’s very worst. Again similar to Maye, Love does have an ambient long-term concern in the form of Josh Jacobs’ return. Will the Packers go back to their “balance just for the sake of it” offense? We sure hope not. … How many more times can Brock Purdy stick the landing with this injury-ravaged supporting cast? Probably at least once more in domed Atlanta. He still has George Kittle for big plays and Christian McCaffrey for methodical compiling. Expect Kyle Shanahan to cobble together a credible third weapon from the 49ers’ various spare parts veterans.
Joe Burrow comes off bye as the QB5 by average fantasy points. That’s frankly higher than I was expecting, but a more than reasonable expectation even for tougher matchups like Sunday’s Ravens road trip. Burrow is distributing the ball as well as ever, while his elite receiver duo is at full health following the open date. … Only Josh Allen is averaging more weekly fantasy points than Bryce Young. The fourth-year starter has surprisingly been pairing spiked weeks with consistency, as he’s finished outside the top nine only one time all year. Against all odds, Young is looking one of the most reliable QBs in fantasy football. … Suddenly besieged on nearly every dropback, Dak Prescott has a 3:4 TD:INT total over his past three starts. He hasn’t provided more than one score since Week 2. Positive regression should be coming in the touchdown department, but the Cowboys’ offense is not performing well as an 11-man unit right now, and “@PHI” is rarely a get-right spot even when the Eagles find themselves in the chaos mode they are currently enduring.
C.J. Stroud has been producing as the QB14 by average fantasy points while you weren’t looking. His skill corps is deepening while his defense is struggling. That’s the recipe for QB1 production, though it must be said the Texans are two-score home favorites for Week 7. They could pack it in early if J.J. McCarthy’s hair on fire Week 6 play does not carry over to “Reliant Stadium.” Then again, the air is essentially the Texans’ only means of moving the ball. In the end, Stroud is not a particularly risky play even if you do not believe in the Week 7 ceiling. … Patrick Mahomes is playing at an extremely high level. It’s too bad so few Chiefs “weapons” are currently capable of joining him. With Kenneth Walker III terrorizing defenses, Mahomes’ floor has been raised considerably, but he is not well positioned to access the ceiling efforts of his fantasy prime. That is specially true vs. an elite pass defense like Seattle. … Kyler Murray has finished three starts as a Viking. He has produced as the QB28, QB28 and QB15. Not enough. How much more is reasonable to expect? I’m not sure, but QB15 is probably a realistic baseline vs. the giving-up Colts.
The cracks are growing on Kirk Cousins’ facade. The Raiders have lost three straight contests as their quarterback’s play has grown wobblier. It would still be perfectly acceptable under normal circumstances, but having the No. 1 overall pick behind you on the depth chart is not normal circumstances. The Rams could go either way as a matchup, and the same is true of Cousins’ play as the Mendoza countdown clock continues its inexorable march to 0:00. … Tyler Shough has had back-to-back disastrous starts. The Steelers, meanwhile, have permitted only six passing scores in six games. Shough has the supporting cast and dome-field advantage to spike a week at any given moment, but his floor has become too low to rank him inside the top 12. … Geno Smith has thrown for more than one touchdown once in six starts. With Omar Cooper Jr. back and Adonai Mitchell hopefully joining him, Smith’s spiked week potential is nevertheless going up. That includes vs. the overmatched Dolphins this week. … A true zero as a runner, Michael Penix has yet to complete 20 passes in a game this season. That limited volume is a big concern for a one-dimensional pocket passer, especially against the 49ers’ strong overall defense.
Bo Nix is playing terribly enough that he’s actually getting criticized on NFL post-game shows. That may be a first for a young player not dealing with any off-the-field controversies. Nix’s play has indeed been a travesty for all of 2026, but especially of late. If he does not spike a week vs. a Cardinals defense coughing up 8.6 yards per pass, he will find himself functionally removed from the streamer mix. … J.J. McCarthy’s fourth quarter performance against the Saints was one of the great black swan events of the young 2026 season. Nine x2 went out there like an agent of chaos with nothing to lose and just let it rip. We can’t imagine stodgy head coach John Harbaugh was loving the reckless abandon he watched unfold, but you can only watch so much 2026 Jameis Winston before moving on. McCarthy is a superflex grenade you can throw at the Texans’ struggling defense. … Tanner McKee was neither better nor worse than expected in his starting debut. He threw just enough to support his name-brand pass catchers, and a Week 7 reprise vs. the collapsed Cowboys is a realistic expectation.
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