There was plenty of drama in Week 7 of the NFL. Six games were decided by seven or fewer points. A Division II rookie quarterback won his first NFL start. Sunday was also National Tight End Day and the big fellas showed out. Mercifully, there were not a lot of fantasy-relevant injuries. Still, there was plenty to take away from a big day of football.
Top Players
Lamar Jackson came alive against the Detroit Lions. After two relatively unsuccessful weeks for Jackson, he put on his best show of the season to date. He topped 300 yards passing for the first time in 2023 and threw three touchdown passes. Jackson also ran for a score and did not throw any interceptions. Jackson did lose a fumble, but the day was a good one for the Ravens’ quarterback.
Puka Nacua keeps winding up with his name in this recap. With the way he’s playing, it is hard to argue he isn’t fantasy-relevant nearly every week. Hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, the rookie sensation caught eight of 12 targets and tallied 154 receiving yards. It was the fourth time he surpassed 100 yards in his first seven games. Nacua currently leads the NFL with 58 receptions in 2023
Travis Kelce did it again with his world-famous friend in attendance at GEHA Field. This time, he notched his biggest game of the year. Kelce caught a dozen passes and converted them into 179 yards receiving. He also found the end zone which prompted a choreographed celebration between his celebrity girlfriend and the quarterback’s wife.
Happy National TE Day to all who celebrated.
Travis Kelce: 12 catches, 179 yards, TD
Darren Waller: 7 catches, 98 yards, TD
Dalton Kincaid: 8 catches, 75 yards
Mark Andrews: 4 catches, 63 yards, 2 TDsThere were 8 TEs with 50+ receiving yards and 7 TEs with 5+ receptions.
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) October 22, 2023
Patrick Mahomes helped a lot of fantasy managers to victory by registering his best game of the year. He went over 400 passing yards for the first time this season. His four touchdown passes set his high for the year, as well. He spread the ball around with four different teammates on the receiving end of those scores.
Darren Waller celebrated National Tight End Day with his biggest outing of the season thus far. He caught seven passes for 98 yards. Waller also scored his first touchdown of the year. The veteran tight end has 20 grabs over his last three contests.
A.J. Brown capped off Sunday night by hauling in 10 receptions. He went for 137 receiving yards and a pivotal touchdown as the Eagles knocked off the Miami Dolphins. Brown did so in style with Philadelphia donning their Kelly green throwback uniforms for the primetime matchup.
Flop Players
Jared Goff managed to compile 284 yards passing which sounds pretty good, but it was not so. He threw the ball 53 times and averaged only 5.4 yards per attempt. Goff was careless with the football, tossing one interception and fumbling twice. It was the first game this season that Goff has failed to score a touchdown and he was sacked a season-high five times by the Ravens’ defense.
Bijan Robinson only carried the ball one time on Sunday. Unbeknownst to fantasy managers, he was said to be ill and saw Tyler Allgeier and Cordarelle Patterson serve as the backfield tandem for Atlanta. Not listed on the Falcons’ injury report, Robinson’s ailment had fantasy managers up in arms on social media. It was a rough day for those with him in their lineups. Hopefully, he will be back to himself next game.
Per sources: Bijan Robinson is ill.
Suffering from the arthursmithfluenza.
— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) October 22, 2023
Jordan Love became just the second quarterback to fail to throw for 200+ yards against the suspect Broncos’ defense. Joining Zach Wilson in this exclusive club, Love missed the 200-yard benchmark for a second consecutive appearance. He did manage two touchdown passes as the Packers tried to rally late. However, the comeback was not to be. Love has thrown eight interceptions in his last four games.
Austin Ekeler was a virtual nonfactor in the Chargers’ loss to division rival Kansas City. He had 14 rushes for 45 yards and caught one pass for just a single yard. For a player who is a typical fantasy boon, it was a frustrating outcome. Ekeler has not quite looked himself since returning from injury last week. Hopefully, he can get back on track next week against a Chicago defense that is not particularly strong against running backs.
Josh Jacobs struggled in Chicago setting his season-low in touches and yardage on Sunday. With 11 carries and one reception, Jacobs turned in 41 total yards. He did score a receiving touchdown that was called back by a penalty. Overall, he was quite flat on a day where the entire Raiders’ offense failed to deliver.
Pop Players
Josh Downs put up 125 yards receiving to set his personal best. This was the third consecutive game that Downs has caught at least five passes. He also recorded his second career touchdown. His role in the offense is growing and he should be a priority add this week if he’s available in your league.
Most receiving yards by a 3rd round rookie WR through 7 weeks over the last decade
1. Terry McLaurin (2019) – 419
2. Josh Downs (2023) – 401
3. Michael Wilson (2023) – 339
4. Tank Dell (2023) – 324
5. Cooper Kupp (2017) – 316
6. Tyler Lockett (2015) – 217
7. Diontae Johnson…— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) October 23, 2023
Jahmyr Gibbs returned and took advantage of David Montgomery’s absence to post the biggest day of his young career. He ran the ball 11 times and caught nine passes. Gibbs compiled 126 total yards and scored his first NFL touchdown.
D’Onta Foreman took advantage of his opportunity with a pair of Bears’ running backs on the shelf. He had almost all of the work in the backfield, rushing for 89 yards and catching three passes for 31 additional yards. Most significantly, he scored a hat trick with three trips to the end zone. With Khalil Herbert on IR, Foreman could still see work when Roschon Johnson returns.
Tyrod Taylor had his biggest passing day since Week 1 of 2021. Throwing for 279 yards, the journeyman quarterback led the Giants to just their second victory of the season. He tossed a pair of touchdown passes and protected the football. Taylor added 25 rushing yards to top 300 total yards.
Drop Players?
Deshaun Watson left the Browns’ game in the first quarter and was evaluated for a concussion. P.J. Walker came on in relief of Watson. Although Watson was reported to have cleared the concussion protocol, he did not return to the game. He was seen standing on the sideline with his helmet on. Watson is expected to be back in the lineup next week.
Jerome Ford injured his ankle in the second half of Sunday’s victory over the Colts. He broke a 69-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter and ended up with his third-highest fantasy scoring day of the year. Ford was seen in a walking boot following the game. It is unknown if he will miss time, but Kareem Hunt stands to handle a substantial workload should Ford be unable to suit up.
Christian Watson suffered a right knee injury late in the Packers’ loss at Denver. The severity of the injury is currently unclear. Watson is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday.
