Week Seven Positional Rankings

This week of the fantasy football season may be the most difficult week to field a competitive lineup I have ever experienced. Multiple teams of mine have eight-ten key players out either on bye or injured, and I’m sure you are experiencing similar challenges among some teams. With the Chargers, Cowboys, Vikings, Bills, among others resting up this week, bench depth is more important than ever. Weeks like this are why dynasty rosters are so often 25 or more players; the teams that are best equipped to handle injuries and bye weeks are so often the ones that ultimately bring home the gold.

If you’ve followed this series for each of the last two years, you’ll be familiar with the overall structure. We’ll list the top 32 QBs, 60 RBs, 60 WRs, and 30 TEs each and every week along with some detailed analysis on a few standout plays. This year, I’ve collaborated with DLF’s Peter Howard to give you some additional data and rankings. In each section, you’ll mine my (@FFzinger) rankings along with Peter’s, presented in order of our average ranking. Any QB or TE not ranked in each of our top 30 was given a ranking of 35, and the same is true with RBs/WRs given 65. You’ll also find a Tier associated with each player, which is defined mathematically based on the gaps from one player to the next to define a relative “Tier” within our rankings. Finally, you’ll find a write-up from both Peter and me highlighting a particularly good play for the upcoming week in our rankings.

To generate this list each and every week, Peter and I examine team trends, Vegas over/unders, implied points, pace of play, among various other factors to build a projection for each player and subsequently adjust rankings for upside and more detailed matchup specifics. Among the rankings, there will surely be some that surprise you or that you may disagree with. At the end of each position section, I’ll give you my thoughts on some players who perhaps are ranked higher/lower than you might expect and insights as to why they are a good/bad play this week. Ultimately, these rankings should help your start/sit dilemmas and ensure you have the requisite resources to make an informed decision.

Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s positional rankings!

Quarterback

Pos	Player	Matchup	@FFZinger	@PaHowdy	Average	Tier
QB	Patrick Mahomes	@TEN	2	1	1.5	1
QB	Kyler Murray	HOU	1	2	1.5	1
QB	Lamar Jackson	CIN	3	3	3	2
QB	Matthew Stafford	DET	4	4	4	2
QB	Jalen Hurts	@LV	5	5	5	2
QB	Tom Brady	CHI	7	6	6.5	3
QB	Aaron Rodgers	WAS	6	8	7	3
QB	Ryan Tannehill	KC	8	7	7.5	3
QB	Derek Carr	PHI	9	10	9.5	4
QB	Matt Ryan	@MIA	12	9	10.5	4
QB	Sam Darnold	@NYG	11	11	11	4
QB	Joe Burrow	@BAL	10	14	12	4
QB	Jameis Winston	@SEA	13	13	13	4
QB	Tua Tagovailoa	ATL	17	12	14.5	4
QB	Daniel Jones	CAR	14	15	14.5	4
QB	Taylor Heinicke	@GB	15	17	16	5
QB	Teddy Bridgewater	@CLE	16	18	17	5
QB	Mac Jones	NYJ	20	16	18	5
QB	Justin Fields	@TB	18	20	19	5
QB	Carson Wentz	@SF	19	21	20	5
QB	Jimmy Garoppolo	IND	21	19	20	5
QB	Jared Goff	@LAR	23	22	22.5	6
QB	Geno Smith	NO	22	23	22.5	6
QB	Zach Wilson	@NE	24	24	24	6
QB	Davis Mills	@ARI	25	25	25	6
QB	Case Keenum	DEN	26	27	26.5	6

 

FFzinger Highlight Player: Sam Darnold, QB CAR

After a scorching-hot start to the 2021 season, Darnold has come crashing down to earth again over the last few weeks. Coming off of three consecutive 300-yard games, Darnold has fallen short of 400 yards total in his last two. While the rushing touchdowns haven’t been there like they were to start the season, Darnold is still getting it done on the ground with 58 yards over his last two games.

This weekend against the Giants – who allow the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs – feels like a “get right” game for Darnold and the Panthers. Expect the Gase-escapee to once again finish as a top 12 option this week in a prime matchup.

PaHowdy Highlight Player: Mac Jones, QB NE

The New York Jets have not allowed a lot of passing production against them. In general, they have allowed (barely) above their opponent’s average volume or efficiency in the receiving game based on my combination ranks. However, they have allowed three top 12 running back games and two top 12 tight end games.

So, why Mac Jones? And in a 42.5 Vegas game total? Running backs (like James White in week two) and tight ends have performed against them. Those players rely on the short passing game, which is where Jones and the New England Patriots live. The game’s line puts the projected team total in the top 12 in overall points as well (two touchdowns). I’m, not expecting top 12 performance from Jones, but I do think his current QB20 projection might be overly pessimistic this week. During the bye-pocalypse that could be useful.

Running Back

Pos	Player	Matchup	@FFZinger	@PaHowdy	Average	Tier
RB	Derrick Henry	KC	1	1	1	1
RB	Alvin Kamara	@SEA	2	2	2	1
RB	Darrell Henderson	DET	3	4	3.5	2
RB	Aaron Jones	WAS	4	3	3.5	2
RB	D’Andre Swift	@LAR	6	5	5.5	3
RB	Jonathan Taylor	@SF	5	8	6.5	3
RB	Leonard Fournette	CHI	8	7	7.5	3
RB	Cordarrelle Patterson	@MIA	9	6	7.5	3
RB	Joe Mixon	@BAL	7	11	9	4
RB	Chuba Hubbard	@NYG	12	9	10.5	4
RB	Darrel Williams	@TEN	11	12	11.5	4
RB	Chase Edmonds	HOU	10	15	12.5	4
RB	Josh Jacobs	PHI	17	10	13.5	4
RB	Damien Harris	NYJ	15	13	14	4
RB	Elijah Mitchell	IND	13	16	14.5	4
RB	Mike Davis	@MIA	14	17	15.5	4
RB	Devontae Booker	CAR	19	14	16.5	4
RB	Antonio Gibson	@GB	16	18	17	4
RB	James Conner	HOU	18	20	19	5
RB	Miles Sanders	@LV	20	20	20	5
RB	Melvin Gordon	@CLE	21	23	22	5
RB	Myles Gaskin	ATL	23	21	22	5
RB	D’Ernest Johnson	DEN	22	28	25	6
RB	Alex Collins	NO	25	25	25	6
RB	J.D. McKissic	@GB	28	22	25	6
RB	Javonte Williams	@CLE	24	27	25.5	6
RB	Michael Carter	@NE	27	24	25.5	6
RB	Khalil Herbert	@TB	26	26	26	6
RB	Jamaal Williams	@LAR	29	29	29	7
RB	A.J. Dillon	WAS	30	31	30.5	7
RB	Kenneth Gainwell	@LV	31	32	31.5	7
RB	Kenyan Drake	PHI	37	30	33.5	7
RB	Mark Ingram	@ARI	32	37	34.5	7
RB	Nyheim Hines	@SF	33	39	36	7
RB	Demetric Felton	DEN	36	36	36	7
RB	Rhamondre Stevenson	NYJ	38	34	36	7
RB	Devonta Freeman	CIN	34	39	36.5	7
RB	Sony Michel	DET	42	33	37.5	7
RB	David Johnson	@ARI	35	41	38	7
RB	Le’Veon Bell	CIN	41	40	40.5	8
RB	Giovani Bernard	CHI	39	45	42	8
RB	Salvon Ahmed	ATL	43	44	43.5	8
RB	Ty Johnson	@NE	44	43	43.5	8
RB	Kyle Juszczyk	IND	55	35	45	8
RB	Malcolm Brown	ATL	49	42	45.5	8
RB	Ronald Jones	CHI	45	47	46	8
RB	DeeJay Dallas	NO	46	52	49	9
RB	Royce Freeman	@NYG	53	48	50.5	9
RB	Trey Sermon	IND	47	55	51	9
RB	Jerick McKinnon	@TEN	48	54	51	9
RB	Chris Evans	@BAL	51	53	52	9
RB	Latavius Murray	CIN	40	65	52.5	9
RB	Ty’Son Williams	CIN	56	50	53	9
RB	Phillip Lindsay	@ARI	52	56	54	9
RB	Keith Smith	@MIA	65	46	55.5	9
RB	Tevin Coleman	@NE	54	59	56.5	9
RB	Jeremy McNichols	KC	50	65	57.5	9
RB	Brandon Bolden	NYJ	65	51	58	9
RB	Marlon Mack	@SF	57	60	58.5	9
RB	Travis Homer	NO	60	58	59	9

FFzinger Highlight Player: Miles Sanders, RB PHI

If you have Sanders, you’ve likely been starting him and feeling the frustration each and every week. He has been incredibly efficient on limited touches, mostly being limited in fantasy football due to Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia offensive gameplan as a whole. Playing against the Raiders, the Eagles are projected to be in one of the higher scoring games this week with a game total of 49.5 points.

The Raiders run defense has not been stellar by any means this season, allowing big games to Austin Ekeler, the Bears duo of Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert, and the Broncos duo of Melvin Gordan and Javonte Williams over the last three weeks. It’s hard to expect Sanders to command more than 15 touches this week, but he is easily a FLEX-worthy option in a good matchup even on limited volume.

PaHowdy Highlight Player: Chase Edmonds, RB ARI

We’re going full regression analysis during the bye-pocalypse, and I’m not sorry. Despite the running back work being a near-perfect 50/50 split between James Connor and Chase Edmonds I think Edmonds, now healthier, might have the edge against Houston. The defense has been attacked primarily through the tight end (allowing four top 12 tight end games in 2021) and Arizona doesn’t really utilize the position.

As the running back with the larger receiving role, I think Edmonds could fill in that role. He currently has the 22nd-ranked EP/G (expected points per game) and has been underperforming it after his injury – averaging 6 PPG over the last two weeks. I think this week he could come back to his week one-four average of 14 PPG.

Wide Receiver

Pos	Player	Matchup	@FFZinger	@PaHowdy	Average	Tier
WR	Tyreek Hill	@TEN	2	2	2	1
WR	Cooper Kupp	DET	3	1	2	1
WR	Davante Adams	WAS	1	4	2.5	1
WR	DeAndre Hopkins	HOU	4	5	4.5	2
WR	D.J. Moore	@NYG	5	7	6	2
WR	Deebo Samuel	IND	9	3	6	2
WR	Calvin Ridley	@MIA	7	6	6.5	2
WR	Terry McLaurin	@GB	6	12	9	3
WR	Ja’Marr Chase	@BAL	8	11	9.5	3
WR	A.J. Brown	KC	11	8	9.5	3
WR	Robert Woods	DET	12	9	10.5	3
WR	Marquise Brown	CIN	13	10	11.5	3
WR	D.K. Metcalf	NO	14	14	14	4
WR	Antonio Brown	CHI	15	13	14	4
WR	Chris Godwin	CHI	10	21	15.5	4
WR	Mike Evans	CHI	16	18	17	4
WR	Sterling Shepard	CAR	19	15	17	4
WR	Jaylen Waddle	ATL	18	17	17.5	4
WR	Courtland Sutton	@CLE	17	19	18	4
WR	Brandin Cooks	@ARI	20	16	18	4
WR	DeVonta Smith	@LV	21	20	20.5	4
WR	Jakobi Meyers	NYJ	24	24	24	5
WR	Tyler Lockett	NO	22	27	24.5	5
WR	Michael Pittman	@SF	25	26	25.5	5
WR	Corey Davis	@NE	30	23	26.5	5
WR	Darnell Mooney	@TB	32	22	27	5
WR	Tee Higgins	@BAL	23	32	27.5	5
WR	Henry Ruggs	PHI	26	30	28	5
WR	Christian Kirk	HOU	27	33	30	6
WR	Allen Robinson	@TB	31	29	30	6
WR	Odell Beckham Jr.	DEN	33	29	31	6
WR	Tim Patrick	@CLE	28	37	32.5	6
WR	Marquez Callaway	@SEA	40	25	32.5	6
WR	Tyler Boyd	@BAL	29	38	33.5	6
WR	Hunter Renfrow	PHI	34	35	34.5	6
WR	Rondale Moore	HOU	37	36	36.5	7
WR	Mecole Hardman	@TEN	39	34	36.5	7
WR	A.J. Green	HOU	42	31	36.5	7
WR	Robby Anderson	@NYG	38	40	39	8
WR	Brandon Aiyuk	IND	36	43	39.5	8
WR	Jamison Crowder	@NE	48	39	43.5	9
WR	Donovan Peoples-Jones	DEN	47	42	44.5	9
WR	Rashod Bateman	CIN	44	48	46	9
WR	Nelson Agholor	NYJ	46	46	46	9
WR	Van Jefferson	DET	51	42	46.5	9
WR	Amon-Ra St. Brown	@LAR	43	51	47	9
WR	Randall Cobb	WAS	49	45	47	9
WR	Julio Jones	KC	35	65	50	8
WR	Kendrick Bourne	NYJ	53	47	50	8
WR	Zach Pascal	@SF	57	44	50.5	8
WR	Kalif Raymond	@LAR	54	50	52	8
WR	Quez Watkins	@LV	50	55	52.5	8
WR	DeVante Parker	ATL	41	65	53	8
WR	Jalen Reagor	@LV	55	52	53.5	8
WR	Allen Lazard	WAS	56	53	54.5	8
WR	T.Y. Hilton	@SF	45	65	55	8
WR	Bryan Edwards	PHI	52	58	55	8
WR	DeSean Jackson	DET	60	54	57	9
WR	Deonte Harris	@SEA	65	49	57	9
WR	Terrace Marshall	@NYG	58	57	57.5	9

 

FFzinger Highlight Player: Brandon Aiyuk, WR SF

After shining as a top 24 option throughout his rookie campaign, it’s been an up-and-down year for Aiyuk. He has been clearly surpassed by teammate Deebo Samuel, who ranks as a top-ten option this week. Aiyuk needs to prove he can be a fantasy-relevant option once again; he has not surpassed 40 yards receiving nor five catches in any game this season. However, coming off a bye against a beatable defense, this may be the right moment for Aiyuk to regain his rookie year form.

George Kittle is out, Jimmy Garoppolo is back, the 49ers have a solid 24-point implied team total, and the Colts have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Put it all together, and the recipe is there for a Brandon Aiyuk breakout game. He’s got a scary-low floor, keeping him just as a borderline WR3/flex option this week, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Aiyuk’s name among the top 20 wide receivers on Sunday.

PaHowdy Highlight Player: Terry McLaurin, WR WAS

Regression! I projected McLaurin to finish in the top 12 at the wide receiver position this year and there’s no time like the present… I hope. Right now, he has a top 14 EP/G utilization and has only finished inside the top 12 twice in six games – finishing outside the top 47 (!) in every other game. I don’t think McLaurin is “big game” dependent as a player and that his per-game usage could even out the up-and-down nature of his production. I have him projection inside the top 15 this week and that’s low compared to some other projections I look at. The reason for that is the Vegas game total because the betting market isn’t a fan of Washington… which is fair, but not the same as fantasy production.

Tight End

Pos	Player	Matchup	@FFZinger	@PaHowdy	Average	Tier
TE	Travis Kelce	@TEN	1	1	1	1
TE	Mark Andrews	CIN	2	2	2	1
TE	Darren Waller	PHI	4	3	3.5	2
TE	Kyle Pitts	@MIA	3	6	4.5	2
TE	T.J. Hockenson	@LAR	5	5	5	2
TE	Mike Gesicki	ATL	8	4	6	2
TE	Dallas Goedert	@LV	7	7	7	2
TE	Noah Fant	@CLE	6	9	7.5	2
TE	Ricky Seals-Jones	@GB	9	11	10	3
TE	Tyler Higbee	DET	10	10	10	3
TE	Hunter Henry	NYJ	12	8	10	3
TE	Zach Ertz	HOU	11	12	11.5	3
TE	Evan Engram	CAR	16	13	14.5	4
TE	Mo Alie-Cox	@SF	13	19	16	4
TE	C.J. Uzomah	@BAL	14	18	16	4
TE	O.J. Howard	CHI	18	16	17	4
TE	Cole Kmet	@TB	17	22	19.5	5
TE	Jonnu Smith	NYJ	20	20	20	5
TE	David Njoku	DEN	23	17	20	5
TE	Austin Hooper	DEN	21	21	21	6
TE	Ross Dwelley	IND	19	26	22.5	6
TE	Gerald Everett	NO	22	25	23.5	6
TE	Anthony Firkser	KC	24	23	23.5	6
TE	Robert Tonyan	WAS	15	35	25	6
TE	Hayden Hurst	@MIA	26	24	25	6
TE	Cameron Brate	CHI	29	27	28	7
TE	Tommy Tremble	@NYG	25	32	28.5	7
TE	Ian Thomas	@NYG	30	29	29.5	7
TE	Rob Gronkowski	CHI	27	35	31	7
TE	Jack Doyle	@SF	28	35	31.5	7

 

FFzinger Highlight Player: Zach Ertz, TE ARI

It’s admittedly pretty risky to play Ertz in his first game with the Arizona Cardinals, but fantasy managers desperate for TE production should look no further. Ertz walks into an ideal situation as the top pass-catching tight end in a high-powered Cardinals offense. While it may take some time for the veteran to get acclimated, Ertz should be able to produce top 12 fantasy numbers with just five or six targets on the day.

The Cardinals are massive 17.5 point favorites against the Houston Texans, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. While it’s unlikely that Ertz vaults all the way into the top five in his first game, fantasy managers should be confident playing Ertz as a borderline TE1 on the week.

PaHowdy Highlight Player: Darren Waller, TE LV

Remember when Darren Waller was the locked-in TE2? Dynasty remembers. Well, last week Waller fell below 10 expected points for the first time this year, and Henry Ruggs (33% of his weeks have been inside the top 24 this year by the way) went off for 97 yards and a touchdown. However, Waller’s EP/G is still great, and last week looks like a boom game for Ruggs that could come back to normal leaving a more familiar workload for Waller. There’s decent potential for a positive bounce back for our old friend. To top it off, OJ Howard (last week), Tommy tremble (week five) and Dalton Schultz (week three, two times) have managed at least a touchdown against the Eagles.

That concludes this week’s rankings article! If you’re wondering about a player we didn’t dive into detail about, feel free to reach out to me or Peter Howard @PaHowdy on Twitter. Best of luck this week, and we’ll be back next week with more positional rankings.