Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide receiver

Tony Fortier-Bensen

Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide receiver image

The biggest question in our Week 7 fantasy WR rankings isn't the struggles or injuries of certain players, but instead, the loss of Aaron Rodgers and its effect on dependable fantasy football studs Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams.  Depending on how you view it, the Saints could all of a sudden look like a tough matchup after five turnovers last week (or still a consenus favorable matchup after giving up 38 points).  For now, we drop both a little bit, but we'll understand this Packers offense a lot more after this week.

On the upward trend, the Falcons vs. Patriots game looks to be a shootout, which is why three players in this game are ranked in the top 15, including Julio Jones and Brandin Cooks in the top five. Not to mention, Taylor Gabriel and Danny Amendola also see solid bumps.  At the same time, the disappearing acts of Amari Cooper, Terrelle Pryor, and Sammy Watkins stay relevant with matchups against teams in the top 10 in fantasy points per game (FPPG) to WRs.

The bye weeks only affect a handful of players like Golden Tate, DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, so there isn't a strong need to shop for streamers.  Right now, we still have injuries on the lookout that can change the rankings immensely, like DeVante Parker (ankle), Sterling Shepard (ankle), Mohamed Sanu (hamstring), and Jordan Matthews (thumb).

WEEK 7 RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Reminder:  We'll update our rankings throughout the week and add player analysis, so please check back often.

WEEK 7 DFS:
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Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings: WRs

These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues

1 Julio Jones, Falcons @ Patriots.
2 Dez Bryant, Cowboys @ 49ers.
3 Antonio Brown, Steelers vs. Bengals.
4 Brandin Cooks, Patriots vs. Falcons.
5 A.J. Green, Bengals @ Steelers.
6 Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals @ Rams (in London).
7 Jordy Nelson, Packers vs. Saints.  Nelson has the capability to create space, and Hundley still targeted him eight times, producing five catches for 50 yards after the Rodgers injury,.  His value takes a dip, but the Saints defense still give up plenty points to opposing WRs.  
8 Mike Evans, Bucs @ Bills.
9 Doug Baldwin, Seahawks @ Giants.
10 Michael Thomas, Saints @ Packers.
11 Jarvis Landry, Dolphins vs. Jets.
12 Demaryius Thomas, Broncos @ Chargers.  Emmanuel Sanders is expected to miss Week 7, boosting Thomas' value.  He should see more targets with Sanders' absence.
13 Tyreek Hill, Chiefs @ Raiders.
14 Terrelle Pryor Jr., Redskins @ Eagles.  It may not feel like it, but Pryor leads the Redskins in targets and receiving yards (one shy of receptions).  His highest reception day this year was Week 1 against the Eagles, and the Eagles haven't done much better since Week 1, giving up the third-most FPPG (26.3) to WRs.
15 Chris Hogan, Patriots vs. Falcons.
16 Michael Crabtree, Raiders vs. Chiefs.  
17 Alshon Jeffery, Eagles vs. Redskins.
18 Devin Funchess, Panthers @ Bears.  
19 Keenan Allen, Chargers vs. Broncos.
20 T.Y. Hilton, Colts vs. Jaguars.  The Jaguars dominate opposing WRs in fantasy, and they struggle against tight ends.  TE Jack Doyle returned and led the team in targets and receptions and scored a touchdown, while Hilton had four targets, catching one for 19 yards.  Hilton's ceiling is low again this week.
21 Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers @ Bears.
22 Pierre Garcon, 49ers vs. Cowboys.
23 Rishard Matthews, Titans @ Browns.
24 Marqise Lee, Jaguars @ Colts.  Lee received 10 targets (compared to three for Hurns) last week and has led the team in targets and receiving yards for two weeks now.  Lee is trending up, and QB Blake Bortles has an extremely favorable matchup against the second-worst pass defense in the NFL.
25 Davante Adams, Packers vs. Saints.  If there's any solace in the Aaron Rodgers injury for Adams owners, it's that Brett Hundley targeted him over Jordy Nelson, including hitting Adams on his lone touchdown pass. 
26 Amari Cooper, Raiders vs. Chiefs.  Cooper finally broke out of his three-game rut of less than 10 receiving yards, but it still wasn't much. Cooper faces possibly the best matchup of the year for him, against a Cheifs team ranked the second-worst in stopping opposing WRs in fantasy,
27 Adam Thielen, Vikings vs. Ravens.  The status of Stefon Diggs still isn't clear, but if Diggs doesn't play, Thielen gets a major boost after getting 13 targets last week.  Thielen has been targeted the most even with Diggs in play, making him a solid play, even against a Ravens defense allowing 15.7 FPPG to WRs.
28 Sammy Watkins, Rams vs. Cardinals (in London).  You might feel the desire to bench Watkins this week, but hold off one more week.  The Cardinals give up the sixth-most fantasy points to WRs, and Mike Evans, the Bucs big man No. 1 WR is coming off a 95-yard, 1 TD performance in Arizona.
29 Allen Hurns, Jaguars @ Colts.
30 Danny Amendola, Patriots vs. Falcons.
31 Robby Anderson, Jets @ Dolphins.
32 DeSean Jackson, Bucs @ Bills.
33 Mohamed Sanu, Falcons @ Patriots.  
34 John Brown, Cardinals @ Rams (in London).  Since his return, Brown has caught two TDs in three games and is second on the team in targets to Larry Fitzgerald.  The Rams have been solid all year against WRs, but Brown could sneak out a TD, placing him as a possible flex play.
35 Jordan Matthews, Bills vs. Bucs.
36 Jermaine Kearse, Jets @ Dolphins
37 Jeremy Maclin, Ravens @ Vikings
38 Martavis Bryant, Steelers vs. Bengals
39 Paul Richardson, Seahawks @ Giants
40 Taylor Gabriel, Falcons @ Patriots.  The Patriots have given up the second-most big plays of 20+ yards this season, and that's Gabriel's bread and butter.  Even with Mohamed Sanu's status likely to play, Gabriel will still be targeted on multiple deep balls, which has hurt the Patriots all year.
41 Kenny Stills, Dolphins vs. Jets.  DeVante Parker's status is still uncertain for Week 7, and in his absence, Stills was second in targets, catching four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown.
42 Zay Jones, Bills vs. Bucs. 
43 Jamison Crowder, Redskins @ Eagles
44 Randall Cobb, Packers vs. Saints
45 Jaron Brown, Cardinals @ Rams (in London)
46 Nelson Agholor, Eagles vs. Redskins
47 Willie Snead, Saints @ Packers
48 Ted Ginn Jr., Saints @ Packers
49 Sterling Shepard, Giants vs. Seahawks
50 Andre Holmes, Bills vs. Bucs.
51 Josh Doctson, Redskins @ Eagles
52 Cole Beasley, Cowboys @ 49ers
53 Mike Wallace, Ravens @ Vikings
54 Donte Moncrief, Colts vs. Jaguars
55 Tyrell Williams, Chargers vs. Broncos
56 Aldrick Robinson, 49ers vs. Cowboys
57 Robert Woods, Rams vs. Cardinals (in London)
58 Cooper Kupp, Rams vs. Cardinals (in London)
59 Adam Humphries, Bucs @ Bills
60 J.J. Nelson, Cardinals @ Rams (in London)
61 Tyler Lockett, Seahawks @ Giants
62 Jeremy Kerley, Jets @ Dolphins
63 Rashard Higgins, Browns vs. Titans
64 Ricardo Louis, Browns vs. Titans
65 Markus Wheaton, Bears vs. Panthers
66 Kendall Wright, Bears vs. Panthers
67 Brandon Coleman, Saints @ Packers
68 Marquise Goodwin, 49ers vs. Cowboys
69 Eric Decker, Titans @ Browns
70 Roger Lewis Jr., Giants vs. Seahawks
71 Kamar Aiken, Colts vs. Jaguars
72 Brandon LaFell, Bengals @ Steelers

Tony Fortier-Bensen