Stars of Week 7

QB: Derek Carr, OAK: 29-52, 417 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs

RB: Ezekiel Elliott, DAL: 26 carries, 147 yards, 2 TDs (1 catch, 72 yards, 1 TD)

WR: Amari Cooper, OAK: 11 catches, 210 yards, 2 TDs

TE: OJ Howard, TB: 6 catches, 98 yards, 2 TDs

We’ve got a pair of Raiders in this week’s honor roll, both of whom had frustrated their fantasy owners up through now. Derek Carr had himself a game against the vaunted Chiefs’ defense, while also throwing the game winning TD pass on the last play of the game. Carr remains a back end QB1. His teammate Amari Cooper essentially disappeared through the first six games of the year, which necessitated the need for an emergency all points bulletin. We’ll take a closer look at Cooper below. Will Ezekiel Elliott serve his suspension this year? With seven weeks complete, we still don’t know! We do know now though that he’ll be available for week 8. Elliott destroyed the winless 49ers this past week, and remains a top 2 RB as long as he’s on the field. OJ Howard nearly eclipsed 100 yards against the Bills, and found the end zone twice against a tough defense. Howard remains more of a TE2 play for this year, however, as he’s not consistent enough from week to week.

Week 7 Takeaways – A Closer Look

Each week we take a closer look at a handful of performances and sort out what such performances mean going forward.

- Isaiah Crowell, RB – CLE: 17 carries, 35 yards, 0 TDs 

Analysis: The Cleveland Browns went out during the offseason and signed some big names along the offensive line to add with incumbent star left tackle Joe Thomas. With an improved offensive line, Cleveland running back Isaiah Crowell was a popular 3rd-4th round fantasy pick this year. Seven games, 0 TDs and a 3.4 YPC average later, Crowell has solidified himself as a droppable bust. To be fair, he was droppable a few weeks back, but in case there was any doubt, wonder no more. What should be an obvious move gets tougher to make when you’ve invested a high pick in a player, so this part of the analysis applies to more than just Crowell. While I usually preach patience before cutting the cord with an early draft pick, once you’ve hit the 5-6 game mark, you have enough information to determine whether or not the player will improve. Circling back to Crowell’s case, his team employs a dysfunctional QB carousel and just lost Thomas for the season. Crowell can safely be dropped in all but the deepest formats (16 team leagues). 

- Amari Cooper, WR - OAK: 11 catches, 210 yards, 2 TDs

Analysis: One of the biggest disappointments so far this year has been the Raiders stud wide receiver, Amari Cooper. Through six games, Cooper had a total of 18 catches for 146 yards and 1 TD – a shocking disappearing act. Well, Cooper thrust himself back into fantasy relevance and then some, hauling in 11 passes for 210 yards, all while finding the end zone twice. Cooper has a history of upper-tier WR2 production, but with the rough start to the season, does one fantastic performance can land him back in the circle of trust? Yes, you can go ahead and start Cooper once again with confidence. The receiver is simply much too talented to stink up the joint again. Cooper had an extended rough patch, but he’s ready to contribute to your fantasy teams going forward. 

- Larry Fitzgerald, WR – ARI: 3 catches, 29 yards, 0 TDs

- Jordy Nelson, WR – GB: 1 catch, 13 yards, 0 TDs 

Analysis: This breakdown will be less stat intensive and more of a macro view. Both Fitz and Jordy, and their WR counterparts have lost their QBs to an extensive injury, and the replacements in place present a significant dropoff. For those of you who own these two receivers, you have every reason to be concerned. Without Palmer, Fitzgerald falls into WR3 territory. For Nelson, he drops into low end WR2 land. Drew Stanton and Brett Hundley, respectively, haven’t shown any reason to lead you to believe that they can command prolific passing games. Unfortunately for the remaining Cardinals WRs, they become waiver wire fodder. Packers’ WR Davante Adams fares better, now a WR3. Randall Cobb should hit the waiver wire as well. I received questions along these lines from several of you, and figured it would be worthwhile to discuss in this space. Unfortunately, all Cardinals’ and Packers’ pass catchers need to be downgraded for the balance of the season. 

- Kenny Stills, WR – MIA: 6 catches, 85 yards, 2 TDs 

Analysis: Facing a juicy matchup in the Jets, Kenny Stills found the end zone twice and accumulated 85 yards over six catches. Jay Cutler and Matt Moore collectively targeted Stills nine times during the course of the game, and Stills served as the second primary target with Devante Parker out. It’s important to note that both of Stills’ TDs came with Matt Moore in the game, and with Jay Cutler likely out for at least a few weeks, Stills will have WR3/flex value IF Devante Parker also remains out the following week. We’ll know more about Parker’s status by mid-week, so stay tuned. Fairly easy game plan here – if Parker’s out, then Stills is a solid play. If Parker plays, then you should sit Stills. 

- Evan Engram, TE – NYG: 6 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD     

Analysis: History has shown that first year tight ends only rarely make a significant fantasy impact. Gronk was one exception, but if you look back through the past several NFL drafts, you’ll see most rookie tight ends don’t make a big impact until following their rookie seasons. That line of thinking was appropriate with respect to Giants’ rookie tight end Evan Engram as well, but a drastic change of circumstances forces such line of thinking out the window. The drastic change I speak of? That would be the Giants losing their top four WRs, including superstar Odell Beckham Jr. The result of the WR attrition is Evan Engram elevating to Eli Manning’s clear cut number one target. Not only did Engram lead the team in receiving this past week against the Giants, but he also had 12 targets! Engram also led the Giants in targets the prior week against the Broncos, and there’s no reason for this trend to change – Engram’s clearly the Giants’ best remaining offensive weapon. So if you’ve got Engram, he’s a TE1 and a weekly starter going forward. 

Rapid Fire Pickups

Each week we throw out potential free agent pickups from each position for deeper leagues, in each case 1) someone who has NOT been referenced above, and 2) a player available in most leagues.

QB: Josh McCown, NYJ (don’t laugh, he’s productive & faces ATL next)

RB: Dion Lewis, NE (still available in way too many leagues)

RB: Jalen Richard, OAK (he’s the RB to own with Marshawn’s suspension)

WR: Mohamed Sanu, ATL

WR: Robby Anderson, NYJ

TE: Tyler Kroft, CIN

Week 8 Rankings

Quarterbacks:

1. Drew Brees, NO (vs. CHI)
2. Carson Wentz, PHI (vs. SF)
3. Dak Prescott, DAL (at WAS)
4. Tom Brady, NE (vs. LAC)
5. Kirk Cousins, WAS (vs. DAL)
6. Russell Wilson, SEA (vs. HOU)
7. Philip Rivers, LAC (at NE)
8. Cam Newton, CAR (at TB)
9. Andy Dalton, CIN (vs. IND)
10. Matt Ryan, ATL (at NYJ)
11. Tyrod Taylor, BUF (vs. OAK)
12. Jameis Winston, TB (vs. CAR)
13. Deshaun Watson, HOU (at SEA)
14. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (at DET)
15. Derek Carr, OAK (at BUF)
16. Matthew Stafford, DET (vs. PIT)
17. Alex Smith, KC (vs. DEN)
18. Josh McCown, NYJ (vs. ATL)
19. Case Keenum, MIN (at CLE)
20. Trevor Siemian, DEN (at KC)

Running Backs:

1. Le'Veon Bell, PIT (at DET)
2. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at WAS)
3. LeSean McCoy, BUF (vs. OAK)
4. Kareem Hunt, KC (vs. DEN)
5. Devonta Freeman, ATL (at NYJ)
6. Melvin Gordon, LAC (at NE)
7. Mark Ingram, NO (vs. CHI)
8. Jordan Howard, CHI (at NO)
9. Carlos Hyde, SF (at PHI)
10. Doug Martin, TB (vs. CAR)
11. Alvin Kamara, NO (vs. CHI)
12. Joe Mixon, CIN (vs. IND)
13. C.J. Anderson, DEN (at KC)
14. Chris Thompson, WAS (vs. DAL)
15. Jerick McKinnon, MIN (at CLE)
16. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (at TB)
17. LeGarrette Blount, PHI (vs. SF)
18. Lamar Miller, HOU (at SEA)
19. Ameer Abdullah, DET (vs. PIT)
20. Jalen Richard, OAK (at BUF)
21. Bilal Powell, NYJ (vs. ATL)
22. Tevin Coleman, ATL (at NYJ)
23. Duke Johnson, CLE (vs. MIN)
24. Dion Lewis, NE (vs. LAC)
25. Matt Forte, NYJ (vs. ATL)
26. Latavius Murray, MIN (at CLE)
27. James White, NE (vs. LAC)
28. Robert Kelley, WAS (vs. DAL)
29. Frank Gore, IND (at CIN)
30. Wendell Smallwood, PHI (vs. SF)
31. DeAndre Washington, OAK (at BUF)
32. Marlon Mack, IND (at CIN)
33. Isaiah Crowell, CLE (vs. MIN)
34. Thomas Rawls, SEA (vs. HOU)
35. Jonathan Stewart, CAR (at TB)
36. Theo Riddick, DET (vs. PIT)
37. Rex Burkhead, NE (vs. LAC)
38. Mike Gillislee, NE (vs. LAC)
39. Eddie Lacy, SEA (vs. HOU)
40. Giovani Bernard, CIN (vs. IND)

Wide Receivers:

1. Antonio Brown, PIT (at DET)
2. A.J. Green, CIN (vs. IND)
3. Julio Jones, ATL (at NYJ)
4. Mike Evans, TB (vs. CAR)
5. Dez Bryant, DAL (at WAS)
6. Michael Thomas, NO (vs. CHI)
7. Brandin Cooks, NE (vs. LAC)
8. Doug Baldwin, SEA (vs. HOU)
9. Keenan Allen, LAC (at NE)
10. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU (at SEA)
11. Chris Hogan, NE (vs. LAC)
12. Alshon Jeffery, PHI (vs. SF)
13. Michael Crabtree, OAK (at BUF)
14. Amari Cooper, OAK (at BUF)
15. Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (at TB)
16. Adam Thielen, MIN (at CLE)
17. Tyreek Hill, KC (vs. DEN)
18. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (at KC)
19. T.Y. Hilton, IND (at CIN)
20. Pierre Garcon, SF (at PHI)
21. Devin Funchess, CAR (at TB)
22. DeSean Jackson, TB (vs. CAR)
23. Marvin Jones, DET (vs. PIT)
24. Nelson Agholor, PHI (vs. SF)
25. Ted Ginn, NO (vs. CHI)
26. Will Fuller, HOU (at SEA)
27. Stefon Diggs, MIN (at CLE)
28. Jermaine Kearse, NYJ (vs. ATL)
29. Josh Doctson, WAS (vs. DAL)
30. Robby Anderson, NYJ (vs. ATL)
31. JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (at DET)
32. Danny Amendola, NE (vs. LAC)
33. Mohamed Sanu, ATL (at NYJ)
34. Tyrell Williams, LAC (at NE)
35. Paul Richardson, SEA (vs. HOU)
36. Jordan Matthews, BUF (vs. OAK)
37. Tyler Lockett, SEA (vs. HOU)
38. Jamison Crowder, WAS (vs. DAL)
39. Bennie Fowler, DEN (at KC)
40. Josh Doctson, WAS (vs. DAL)

Tight End:

1. Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. LAC)
2. Zach Ertz, PHI (vs. SF)
3. Travis Kelce, KC (vs. DEN)
4. Jimmy Graham, SEA (vs. HOU)
5. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (at CLE)
6. Hunter Henry, LAC (at NE)
7. Jordan Reed, WAS (vs. DAL)
8. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ (vs. ATL)
9. Cameron Brate, TB (vs. CAR)
10. Jason Witten, DAL (at WAS)
11. Tyler Kroft, CIN (vs. IND)
12. Jared Cook, OAK (at BUF)
13. Jack Doyle, IND (at CIN)
14. George Kittle, SF (at PHI)
15. Zach Miller, CHI (at NO)
16. Austin Hooper, ATL (at NYJ)
17. Nick O'Leary, BUF (vs. OAK)
18. O.J. Howard, TB (vs. CAR)
19. Ed Dickson, CAR (at TB)
20. Coby Fleener, NO (vs. CHI)

Defense/Special Teams:

1. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. SF)
2. Minnesota Vikings (at CLE)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. IND)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. DEN)
5. Seattle Seahawks (vs. HOU)
6. New Orleans Saints (vs. CHI)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (at DET)
8. Denver Broncos (at KC)
9. Houston Texans (at SEA)
10. Carolina Panthers (at TB)
11. Buffalo Bills (vs. OAK)
12. Atlanta Falcons (at NYJ)
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. CAR)
14. New England Patriots (vs. SD)
15. New York Jets (vs. ATL)