RealGM Analysis
Stars of Week 7
QB: Patrick Mahomes, KC: 28-39, 358 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
RB: Kareem Hunt, KC: 15 carries, 86 yards, 1 TD (5 catches, 55 yards, 2 TDs)
WR: Odell Beckham Jr., NYG: 8 catches, 143 yards, 1 TD
TE: Trey Burton, CHI: 9 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD
The Kansas City Chiefs have been the AFC’s version of the Rams, with a dynamic offense that has no shortage of weapons. Patrick Mahomes has been the no-doubt fantasy MVP of the year so far, given how late he was drafted in leagues. Through seven games, Mahomes has thrown 22 TDs and more than 2,200 yards. Lot to be excited about if you’re a Chiefs fan. Speaking of which, Mahomes is joined here by second year RB sensation Kareem Hunt, who scored three TDs against the Bengals. Hunt has had himself a great sophomore year, one that will continue right along with Mahomes. The Giants may be struggling, but Odell Beckham continues to do his part to give his team a fighting chance. Beckham torched the Falcons for 143 yards and a TD in the Monday night affair, albeit in a losing cause. Odell is as talented as any WR in football, but in terms of value, he’s in the 6-10 range due to external factors. Trey Burton was a popular sleeper pick in fantasy drafts, given how he flashed with the Eagles in limited duty last season, together with the projected upward trajectory of the Bears offense. Burton scored his fourth touchdown of the season this past Sunday against the Patriots and was the top performer at tight end. He remains a TE1.
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.
- Nick Chubb, RB – CLE: 18 carries, 80 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: We received news of a trade late last week that has far ranging fantasy football implications. The Browns traded Carlos Hyde to the Jaguars, which has opened the starting RB gig up for rookie Nick Chubb. This past weekend, we saw Chubb’s first game as a starter, and he didn’t disappoint. Chubb had 18 of the team’s 19 carries from the RB position, and found the end zone once while hitting the 80 yard mark. Chubb will continue to be the bell cow for the Browns going forward, which elevates him to RB2 status. Hyde’s trade also increases the value of Duke Johnson, as he’ll see an increased snap count – primarily in passing situations. Johnson becomes a flex option in deeper leagues (12 plus teams). As for a quick overview on the Jaguars side, Hyde will be the back to own with Leonard Fournette out, and he should be kept as a handcuff even when Fournette returns. TJ Yeldon’s value takes a big hit here.
- Marlon Mack, RB – IND: 19 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD (2 catches, 33 yards, 1 TD)
Analysis: The Colts RB situation has been cloudy over the first trimester of the season, with both Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines snagging carries without asserting a claim to the throne, while Marlon Mack has been mostly injured. Mack debuted his 2018 season in Week 2, then returned in Week 6, posting 89 yards from only 12 carries. In Week 7 against the Bills, Mack continued where he left off, scoring two TDs and clearing the century mark for yards rushed with ease. Mack is the most talented of the Colts RBs, and as long as he remains healthy, he’ll be an RB2. Mack should get close to seventy percent of the carries, with Wilkins and Hines getting the rest. If Mack is available in your league, he’s a must add – in all formats. Hines will continue to have value in deeper leagues as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Wilkins suffers the most with Mack’s ascension, and he shouldn’t be in lineups unless Mack loses additional time due to injury.
- Raheem Mostert, SF: 7 carries, 59 yards, 0 TDs
Analysis: Raheem Mostert has had a very quiet four seasons in the league, but is that about to change? Mostert has put together back to back impressive games for the severely injured 49ers, having rushed for 87 yards in Week 6 to go along with his 59 yards in Week 7. While he’s only carried the rock 25 times this season, Mostert is averaging more than six years per carry. With Matt Breida being banged up and very possibly missing time, there’s a strong chance that Mostert will split time with Alfred Morris for the immediate future. Admittedly again we just have a small sample size, but Mostert has looked much better than Morris, and he also offers more in the passing game. The 49ers face a sieve of a run defense in the Cardinals this coming week, and if Breida is out for the week, Mostert will be an RB2. He’s a short term add, with potential to provide an even bigger ROI if Breida ends up missing significant time.
- Tyrell Williams, WR – LAC: 4 catches, 118 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: The Chargers receiving corps starts with Keenan Allen as the headliner, but Tyrell Williams comprises part of a deep group of solid secondary options. QB Philip Rivers spreads the ball around as much as any signal caller, so Chargers wide receivers outside of Allen have struggled to remain fantasy relevant on a weekly basis. Circling back to Williams, he has posted 118 yards receiving in each of the last two games, with three TDs combined in the two games. Unfortunately, games 1 through 5 of the season illustrate the problem at hand – Williams had yardage totals of 8, 48, 22, 48 and 64 yards in those games, with just 1 TD during that time. Also a critical point, Williams has only been targeted between 3 and 5 times for each game this season. So what we’ve got here is a weekly boom or bust option, one that’s hard to trust. Williams should be viewed as a WR3/flex option in standard deeper leagues (12 plus teams), and he downgrades to WR4 in PPR leagues and leagues with 10 teams or less. Williams is a fine WR with value in fantasy leagues, but just keep a realistic view on what to expect.
- Josh Gordon, WR – NE: 4 catches, 100 yards, 0 TDs
Analysis: Josh Gordon has tantalizing talent as a WR, but has missed most of the last few years due to suspension. Early this season, the Browns grew tired of his act and dealt the mercurial WR to the Patriots. The Patriots have a history for taking troubled stars from other organizations and turning them into key Patriots. Randy Moss and Corey Dillon come to immediate mind, and now we’ll see what happens with Josh Gordon. Week 7 was Gordon’s fourth game with the Pats, and he eclipsed 100 yards for the first time this year. Brady targeted Gordon seven times against the Bears, and nine times the week before. Given that Gordon has been working himself into shape, his ascension in the Pats’ game plan is not only a welcomed sight, but also a trend that should continue. The Pats have five regular receiving options – Gordon, Gronk, Edelman, Hogan and White – so Gordon will have plenty of competition for targets. With Sony Michel now injured again and the team light on running backs to carry the load, the Pats will air it out regularly. Gordon should be viewed as a WR2 going forward, albeit one on the lower end because of all the mouths to feed. But unless you’re in a very shallow league or you have an abnormally deep trove of WRs, Gordon should be in your lineup moving 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 featured above, and 2) a player available in most leagues.
QB: Baker Mayfield, CLE
RB: Jalen Richard/Doug Martin, OAK (with Richard preferred)
RB: Nyheim Hines, IND (still valuable even with Mack’s leading role)
WR: Tre'Quan Smith, NO
WR: Jakeem Grant, MIA
TE: Ben Watson, NO
Week 8 Rankings
Quarterbacks:
- Patrick Mahomes, KC Den
- Kirk Cousins, Min NO
- Aaron Rodgers, GB @LAR
- Tom Brady, NE @Buf
- Jared Goff, LAR GB
- Drew Brees, NO @Min
- Andrew Luck, Ind @Oak
- Ben Roethlisberger, Pit Cle
- Jameis Winston, TB @Cin
- Andy Dalton, Cin TB
- Mitchell Trubisky, Chi NYJ
- Cam Newton, Car Bal
- Russell Wilson, Sea @Det
- Carson Wentz, Phi @Jax
- Matthew Stafford, Det Sea
- Baker Mayfield, Cle @Pit
- Case Keenum, Den @KC
- Alex Smith, Wsh @NYG
- Derek Carr, Oak Ind
- Joe Flacco, Bal @Car
Running Backs:
- Todd Gurley II, LAR GB
- Saquon Barkley, NYG Wsh
- Kareem Hunt, KC Den
- Alvin Kamara, NO @Min
- James Conner, Pit Cle
- David Johnson, Ari SF
- James White, NE @Buf
- Joe Mixon, Cin TB
- Tarik Cohen, Chi NYJ
- Phillip Lindsay, Den @KC
- C. McCaffrey, Car Bal
- Adrian Peterson, Wsh @NYG
- Chris Carson, Sea @Det
- Marlon Mack, Ind @Oak
- Nick Chubb, Cle @Pit
- Chris Thompson, Wsh @NYG
- Mark Ingram II, NO @Min
- Kerryon Johnson, Det Sea
- LeSean McCoy, Buf NE
- Latavius Murray, Min NO
- Jordan Howard, Chi NYJ
- Jalen Richard, Oak Ind
- Alex Collins, Bal @Car
- Isaiah Crowell, NYJ @Chi
- T.J. Yeldon, Jax Phi
- Carlos Hyde, Jax Phi
- Doug Martin, Oak Ind
- W. Smallwood, Phi @Jax
- Peyton Barber, TB @Cin
- Duke Johnson Jr., Cle @Pit
- Aaron Jones, GB @LAR
- Kenjon Barner, NE @Buf
- Nyheim Hines, Ind @Oak
- Corey Clement, Phi @Jax
- Javorius Allen, Bal @Car
- Raheem Mostert, SF @Ari
- Devontae Booker, Den @KC
- Matt Breida, SF @Ari
- Ronald Jones, TB @Cin
- Mike Davis, Sea @Det
Wide Receivers:
- Adam Thielen, Min NO
- Antonio Brown, Pit Cle
- Odell Beckham Jr., NYG Wsh
- A.J. Green, Cin TB
- Michael Thomas, NO @Min
- Tyreek Hill, KC Den
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pit Cle
- Mike Evans, TB @Cin
- Davante Adams, GB @LAR
- T.Y. Hilton, Ind @Oak
- Jarvis Landry, Cle @Pit
- Stefon Diggs, Min NO
- Robert Woods, LAR GB
- E. Sanders, Den @KC
- Brandin Cooks, LAR GB
- Tyler Boyd, Cin TB
- Golden Tate, Det Sea
- Julian Edelman, NE @Buf
- Josh Gordon, NE @Buf
- Kenny Golladay, Det Sea
- Cooper Kupp, LAR GB
- Allen Robinson, Chi NYJ
- Doug Baldwin, Sea @Det
- Alshon Jeffery, Phi @Jax
- D. Thomas, Den @KC
- Michael Crabtree, Bal @Car
- John Brown, Bal @Car
- Danny Amendola, Mia @Hou
- Devin Funchess, Car Bal
- Marquise Goodwin, SF @Ari
- Marvin Jones Jr., Det Sea
- Sterling Shepard, NYG Wsh
- Tyler Lockett, Sea @Det
- Sammy Watkins, KC Den
- Randall Cobb, GB @LAR
- Jordy Nelson, Oak Ind
- Taylor Gabriel, Chi NYJ
- DeSean Jackson, TB @Cin
- Willie Snead, Bal @Car
- Chris Godwin, TB @Cin
Tight End:
- Travis Kelce, KC Den
- Zach Ertz, Phi @Jax
- George Kittle, SF @Ari
- Rob Gronkowski, NE @Buf
- Jimmy Graham, GB @LAR
- David Njoku, Cle @Pit
- Eric Ebron, Ind @Oak
- Trey Burton, Chi NYJ
- Jordan Reed, Wsh @NYG
- Jared Cook, Oak Ind
- O.J. Howard, TB @Cin
- Evan Engram, NYG Wsh
- C.J. Uzomah, Cin TB
- Greg Olsen, Car Bal
- Kyle Rudolph, Min NO
- Vance McDonald, Pit Cle
- Benjamin Watson, NO @Min
- Ricky Seals-Jones, Ari SF
- Cameron Brate, TB @Cin
- Jeff Heuerman, Den @KC
Defense/Special Teams:
- Chicago Bears NYJ
- New England Patriots @Buf
- Philadelphia Eagles @Jax
- Arizona Cardinals SF
- Baltimore Ravens @Car
- Los Angeles Rams GB
- Jacksonville Jaguars Phi
- Washington Redskins @NYG
- Carolina Panthers Bal
- Indianapolis Colts @Oak
- Pittsburgh Steelers Cle
- New York Jets @Chi
- Detroit Lions Sea
- Seattle Seahawks @Det
- San Francisco 49ers @Ari
