For the first time all season, it feels like we may get more players back this week than we lost last week. Part of that may be the fact that the Lions and Bengals are coming off a bye. Another part is that far fewer players played last week and suffered a significant injury. That's fantastic news. What is also fantastic is that the running back position may get some much-needed depth added, even if we aren't sure we're getting them all the way back in Week 7.
As of Monday evening, we are projecting Josh Jacobs and Zach Charbonnet to make their season debuts this week. Both Green Bay and Seattle have struggled running the ball this season, which is both a blessing and a curse for their returning starters. The blessing is that Jacobs and Charbonnet should get as much work as they can handle moving forward. The curse is that it is hard to project them as very efficient, given how these lines have been blocking.
For Week 7, it is best to view both as high-end flexes who could be RB2s if they score a touchdown. I have both Jacobs and Charbonnet projected for double-digit touches, but just barely. Jacobs has a better chance at a touchdown because he is facing the Lions, while Charbonnet gets the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. We're also projecting Quinshon Judkins to return from his ankle injury, and would start him over both.
Prominent players, we had projected last week that we are not projecting to play in Week 6 as of Monday evening:
Davante Adams, Romeo Doubs, Rashod Bateman, Dontavion Wicks,
At the bottom of this article are my Week 7 projections for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. They will be updated throughout the week as we get more information.
Risers
C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans
You will notice a theme in the risers this week: The Texans. That is partially because they are playing good offensive football, particularly in the running game. It is also because they are facing the Giants this week and have an implied total of 26 points. Stroud threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns against a much better defense on Sunday and is averaging 7.8 yards per pass attempt, his best mark since his rookie year. The addition of Marvin Harrison Jr., the emergence of Jaylin Noel, and now the return of Tank Dell could give Stroud the deepest set of weapons he's ever had.
Bryce Young, QB, Panthers
The only reason Young isn't leading the league in passing yards right now is that he already had his bye. He's averaging an incredible 309 passing yards per game. When both Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Cooker are healthy, this pass offense looks virtually unstoppable. For Fantasy purposes, he also benefits from a defense with an extremely banged-up secondary and an unimpressive run defense. Young may run into a matchup that has us doubting him at some point, but it is not this week.
Woody Marks, RB, Texans
Marks has 36 touches over his past two games, and in Week 7, he faces arguably the worst run defense he has faced all season. The Giants are giving up 4.78 yards per carry to running backs this season, which is the third-worst mark in the league. With the current state of the running back position and Marks' role without David Montgomery, he is a near must-start running back.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Broncos
Dobbins has scored a touchdown in back-to-back games and has multiple targets in three straight. The Broncos' pass game has been a disaster this season, and the matchup with Arizona should give them a chance to play from ahead. As of late Monday, we are not expecting Tyler Badie to play in Week 7 and Dobbins played a season-high 51.7% of the offensive snaps in Week 6 when Badie left early.
Germie Bernard, WR, Steelers
It was an overtime game, and Aaron Rodgers threw 49 passes, so be careful how much you extrapolate from Week 6. But still, Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman are on IR, and Rodgers is averaging nearly 40 passes per game. We would expect Bernard to see at least seven targets per game until one of them returns. He's caught 75% of the passes Rodgers has thrown his way this season, which is exactly how a rookie earns the trust of his quarterback.
Kyle Pitts and Colston Loveland
The only reason I put these guys together is that they are basically the Spiderman meme at this point. You may have more confidence in one or the other. Loveland was more hyped coming into the year, but Pitts has two good games in a row. The important thing is that you don't have to ask yourself if you should drop them this week. Also, you don't have to stream again if you have them. That being said, I am not all the way back in quite yet, and neither projects inside my top 12 as of Monday night. Still, we have hope.
Fallers
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
We have received no indication that Rashee Rice is returning in Week 7. Mahomes and the Chiefs are traveling to Seattle to face maybe the best defense in the league. Mahomes has thrown more than 30 passes once in a game this season and is averaging less than 10 rushing yards per game. I would do whatever I could to get away from him and stream someone else.
Tony Pollard, RB, Titans
Pollard is actually running the ball well. And he is getting plenty of carries. But he has one rushing touchdown this season and zero catches in his past two games. Last week was supposed to be the week for Pollard against the Colts. Now he's facing a Browns defense that is good, if not great, and may be getting healthier. You may not be able to get away from Pollard, but I would rather start Dameon Pierce, Quinshon Judkins (if he plays), J.K. Dobbins, Ollie Gordon, and Woody Marks.
Michael Wilson, WR, Cardinals
So, uh, maybe Wilson needed Marvin Harrison Jr.? I know, he didn't last year. Wilson has 62 yards in the last two games without Harrison and has talked about how much more he is getting double-teamed. The Cardinals face the Broncos in Week 7 and if they get healthy, I may have to move Wilson down even more. He is a boom/bust WR3 at best.
Darren Waller, TE, Panthers
So it seems pretty clear now. Waller is only in play if one of Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan is in play. He's sharing too much with Tommy Tremble when it comes to tight end targets and needs some of those wide receiver targets to be funneled his way. He has 14 targets in the two games where Coker left early or missed. He has five combined targets in the three games Coker played, more than half of the offensive snaps.
