LAFB fam, I’m back with my fantasy predictions. I know, you just can’t get rid of me. Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season is already underway as the Giants had a fourth-quarter collapse to the Eagles on Thursday night. Daniel Jones and Carson Wentz both put up 20+ point performances, with the latter hitting 27.76 points. That is a good start for Wentz owners as he very well may end up in the top 3 for quarterbacks this week. There are some intriguing matchups this week and a lot of potential for big fantasy performances. Here are your Week 7 Fantasy Predictions.
Week 7 Fantasy Predictions
Top 3 QB’s
Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons
Matty Ice rebounded big last week for a Falcons team that was in dire need of a win. Ryan looked confident in slinging the ball around the field. In Week 7, the Falcons host the Detroit Lions. I expect this game to have some high scoring led by Matty Ice. In his career, he is 4-1 vs. the Lions throwing for 1100+ yards, 10 TD passes against 6 interceptions. The last time he faced the Lions was in 2017 so both teams will have some obvious differences. The Lions secondary is a little banged up and with Julio Jones looking to be fully healthy, I expect the Falcons passing attack to excel on Sunday.
Justin Herbert – Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert has overachieved so far in his rookie campaign and a good supporting cast around him only helps his fantasy value increase. The Chargers are seeking to get grab their second win of the season after losing four straight weeks by a touchdown or less. Herbert has a good matchup this week at home with a Jaguars defense that is surrendering the seventh-most passing yards to opposing QB’s. I expect the Chargers are going to try to rely heavily on Herbert as most of the offensive success has been on his throwing ability. He’s also yet to really show his running capabilities so don’t be surprised if he has some yards on the ground and maybe even a TD.
Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks
The Sunday Night matchup this week is a good one with the undefeated Seahawks traveling to the desert to face a 4-2 Cardinals team. Wilsons career numbers vs. the Cardinals include 3000+ yards with a 24:5 TD to interception ratio. The Cardinals’ defense is right in the middle of the pack with respect to passing yards given up this season. I expect this game to be a shootout though and Wilson is going to have to literally shoulder the load with his throwing arm. Only twice in sixteen matchups has he thrown for 300+ yards in a game vs. the Cardinals. Sunday night will be his third time doing so with a few touchdown throws to go along with it.
Top 3 RB’s
Aaron Jones – Green Bay Packers
The Packers are looking to bounce back after a humbling loss to the Buccaneers in Week 6. The offense was practically non-existent with the pressure that was put on Aaron Rodgers. On the road vs. the Texans in Week 7, I think the Packers go back to the basics and feed Jones the rock. The Texans are giving up the most fantasy points to opposing RB’s this year, evident from last week’s thrashing by Derrick Henry. Jones is the third-best fantasy RB so far this year and I expect him to have a big week on the ground and in the passing game. Although, Jones is a game-time decision so have a contingency plan in place if necessary.
Alvin Kamara – New Orleans Saints
The Panthers travel to New Orleans for a conference clash with the Saints. The good thing for Kamara is the Panthers’ defense is giving up the third-most fantasy points to opposing RB’s this year. The Saints are coming off a bye and with Emmanuel Sanders and Michael Thomas ruled out for Sunday’s matchup, expect Kamara to get an extremely healthy amount of touches. He’s the best fantasy RB by about 20 points to the next back.
Rex Burkhead – New England Patriots
This one may be a stretch but here we go. Burkhead usually has a couple of weeks during a season where he goes off. It usually happens when you least expect it. The 49ers are traveling to Foxborough to face a Patriots team searching for answers after a loss to the Broncos in Week 6. This is an extreme “Boom” prediction, but I think the Patriots employ a game plan similar to the one vs. the Raiders in Week 3. If I’m correct, Burkhead will see some touches in the running game and passing game as well as some goalline opportunities.
Top 6 WR’s
Stefon Diggs – Buffalo Bills
In a Week 1 matchup with the Jets, Diggs was able to haul in 8 receptions for 86 yards, a solid debut for his Bills tenure. I expect another similar stat line this week but with added help in the TD category. He’s scored three TD’s in three separate games this year while also going for 100+ yards in three separate games. The Bills are looking to bounce back after a two-game skid and I’d imagine they’d want to do it in a big way vs. the winless Jets.
Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons
Jones looks to be fully healthy after a stellar performance in Week 6. The Falcons will be at home this week vs. the Lions and I expect Jones and Matt Ryan to keep that momentum going this week. In three career contests vs. the Lions, Jones has gotten a healthy amount of targets, totaling 29. In two of those matchups, he’s grabbed seven receptions for 70+ yards while securing one TD. Detroit on the other hand is right in the middle of the pack surrendering yards and fantasy points to receivers this year. Julio and the Falcons look to change that Sunday.
DeAndre Hopkins – Arizona Cardinals
Hopkins currently leads the league in receiving yards with 601. Though he’s only secured two scores, his healthy target share and ability to catch most every catchable ball puts him in contention to go off every week. Lucky for him in Week 7, as the Seahawks defense is giving up the most receptions and yards to receivers this year and has given up the third-most fantasy points to opposing WR’s. The last time he played Seattle he went off for 8/224/1. Expect a show on SNF this week.
Kenny Golladay – Detroit Lions
On the flipside to the Lions vs. Falcons game is the Lions best playmaker, Golladay. Since being activated in Week 3, he’s seen 21 of his targets go for a stat line of 14/224/2. He and Matthew Stafford have a great rapport and if this game is a shootout like I expect it to be, then Golladay should be heavily involved. The Falcons defense has given up the second-most yards to opposing receivers and the fifth-most fantasy points. I expect Golladay to have another 100+ yard receiving game while adding a score or two to his stat line.
Terry McLaurin – Washington Football Team
This may be the one time all year a player from the Washington Football Team ends up as a top performer. The reason being, they are playing a Dallas team that has been very suspect this season. McLaurin is the clear cut number one and he’s off to a great start in 2020. He’s had two 100+ yard games and his healthy target amount gives hope that he can haul in more than five in any given contest. The only caveat is he has to get in the end zone as he only has one score across six contests. Lucky for him though, the Cowboys have given up the second-most receiving TDs and fantasy points to opposing receivers this year.
Tyler Boyd – Cincinnati Bengals
The first meeting between the Browns and the Bengals was a shootout till the end of the game. In that game, Boyd scored his lone TD of the season off of seven receptions for 72 yards. He is the clear favorite target for rookie Joe Burrow, even though he has only a couple more targets other than A.J. Green. The Browns defense regardless of their record has had some difficulty slowing down opposing offenses. Good for Boyd and Co. because the Browns are giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers this year. Look for the Bengals to give the Browns a run for their money again.
Top 3 TE’s
Hunter Henry – Los Angeles Chargers
Henry has a good rapport with rookie Justin Herbert and he received a healthy target share so far this season. He scored his first TD last week and will look to find the end zone again this week vs. the Jaguars. The Jaguars defense is giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to TE’s this year. In last year’s matchup with the Jaguars, Henry was able to score a TD as well. Expect Henry to get healthy targets as well as opportunities in the red zone.
T.J. Hockenson – Detroit Lions
Hockenson is a borderline top 10 fantasy TE so far this year. In his past two games, he has scored a TD but had little yards to show for it. Both of the TD’s came in goalline/red-zone plays. The Falcons defense is the worst vs. TE’s this year giving up the second-most yards, the most TD receptions, and the most fantasy points. If Hockenson can get going on his routes downfield this week, he could be looking at a high ceiling for fantasy owners.
Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce is arguably the best TE in the league and for good reason. He has reliable hands, is the size of a TE but runs like a WR. Matter of fact, he plays some of his best football in divisional games as his numbers vs. the Broncos in his career are a few ticks off of his career number vs. the Raiders. He’s had four games go for 100+ receiving yards and has received more targets in Denver games than he has in Chargers or Raiders games. In his last seven contest vs. the Broncos, he’s only once been under 75 receiving yards. Look for the big guy to keep putting up numbers in Week 7.
Top 3 Kickers
Brandon McManus – Denver Broncos
McManus is almost perfect on the year kicking as he’s only missed one of his FG attempts. Now, in order for the Broncos to beat the Chiefs, they are going to need to score points and keep points from being scored. Obviously. Now I don’t see a performance like last week where he accounts for all the points for the Broncos, but I do expect him to get some kicks in early in this game. If the Broncos go down by a few touchdowns at half, the likelihood of FG attempts will start to diminish.
Zane Gonzalez – Arizona Cardinals
Since missing two FG’s opening day vs. the 49ers, Gonzalez has been perfect on his FG attempts. In a Sunday night matchup that looks to have its fair share of scoring, Gonzalez could get busy. The Cardinals offense has been high powered as they’ve gotten in the endzone twenty times this season. You’re hoping if you have Gonzalez that the other person you’re playing doesn’t have any players left and it comes down to your kicker, which is never fun.
Cairo Santos – Chicago Bears
The Bears have a tough road matchup on Monday Night Football vs. the Rams this week. This makes me think that Santos will have a busy night. Once a pretty automatic kicker for Kansas City, Santos has seen a resurgence in his career with the Bears. He’s only missed twice on FG’s this year, one being 40+ yards and the other being 50+ yards. The past two weeks the Bears have been in defensive battles and Santos kicks turned out to be the deciding factors in those wins. I expect at least three FG attempts this week.
Top 3 DEF/ST’s
Buffalo Bills
This one always seems too easy because of how bad the Jets are this year. I expect the Bills to force a few turnovers, maybe even get a defensive touchdown. The point total should be held low and the yards should be kept in check as well.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After what the Bucs defense did to Rodgers and the Packers offense last week, fantasy owners were trying to claim them off of waivers from the people who dropped them or make the not so heard of trade for a defense. This week could be interesting considering the Raiders might not have their whole starting offensive line. Regardless if they do or don’t, I expect the Bucs defense to pressure Derek Carr early and often.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have played lights out in the first half this year on defense. The second half, not so much. They host the Jaguars this week and while I think the Jaguars can score a few touchdowns, I expect the Chargers defense to come up with some turnovers. A defensive or special teams TD could also be in store for the Chargers on Sunday.
To Conclude
Mr. Optimistic is back in action and you know where I stand on my predictions. I like a lot of the games this week just as a fan of football but I also see the potential for some “Boom” performances around the league. I see my season batting average increasing after this week and my bank account to have a few extra dollars in it. As always, if you agree or disagree with me, let me know on Twitter @RealsleeepyG. Enjoy Week 7 and hopefully, your fantasy team wins!
Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan. Photo Credit: Brook Ward | Under Creative Commons License