Our attempt at creativity in the fantasy lineup did not pay off in Week 7, and a combination of injury and poor performance eliminated any chance of cashing during the 1 pm window.
Bijan Robinson struggled with headaches and saw a single carry during Atlanta’s road win at Tampa, and DK Metcalf missed the first game of his career while recovering from rib and hip injuries.
Week 8 has a fully stocked slate of games, and we’ll regroup to enter FanDuel’s $1.3M NFL Sunday Million contest this Sunday.
Quarterback: Sam Howell ($6,900)
Howell has become a high-volume passer in recent weeks, ranking third in the NFL in attempts over Washington’s last four games. He’s averaged almost 40 throws per week, is fifth in passing yards, and has six touchdowns to two interceptions in that span.
He was ineffective against the G-Men last week while constantly under duress and getting sacked six times but played well on the road against Philly in Week 4.
If Howell continues throwing at this rate, he should be a cheaper option among QBs to eclipse 15 points in Week 8 against an average Eagles’ pass defense.
Running Backs: Isiah Pacheco ($7,400) & Gus Edwards ($6,600)
Pacheco continues to rack up the touches and touchdowns for a Chiefs team that may be finding their stride. He’s racked up 17+ touches in five straight games and found the endzone in four of five as the lead back for the defending champs.
We still feel he’s undervalued, especially considering his step forward in the passing game this year. Edwards is another player getting consistent, above-average volume as a runner over the last month.
He and Pacheco are among ten players with active streaks of 10+ carries in a game for at least six weeks, and Baltimore has a comfy matchup against Arizona in Week 8
Wide Receivers: Terry McLaurin ($7,600), DeVonta Smith ($6,900) & Diontae Johnson ($6,400)
McLaurin has caught at least six passes in four of five games coming into this week and has surpassed 80 yards receiving in three of his last four. As Howell’s passing volume has rocketed up, McLaurin continues to emerge as his favorite target.
They’ll likely need to throw to keep up in Philadelphia, and Scary Terry caught eight passes for 86 yards in their first matchup this season.
Smith has gone quiet in production over the last few weeks, managing just 10 catches and 99 yards over the Eagles’ previous three games. A matchup with Washington could be just what he needs. Smith has 21 catches for 286 yards and two touchdowns in his last three meetings with the Commanders.
Johnson and Pittsburgh meet the Jags this week, the team allowing the 2nd-most fantasy points to opposing receivers in 2023. The fifth-year man out of Toledo snagged five of his six targets for a 15.8 receiving average in his return to the team during Week 7.
Tight End: Dallas Goedert ($6,200)
Goedert’s reached at least five catches in five of six games entering Week 8 and again ranks among the top ten at his position in targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns this season.
His two scores in 2023 have come in the last three weeks, as have his two highest receiving totals of the season. Washington continues to struggle against the pass, and Goedert will take advantage.
Flex: Alvin Kamara ($8,300)
Alvin Kamara has played four games in 2023. He ranks eighth in carries per game, 16th in rush yards per game, and is tops at his position in targets and receptions despite missing Week 1-3.
He already has two games with 12 or more catches this season and more than offsets his lack of touchdowns with 26 touches per game to bank the fantasy points.
Defense: Cleveland Browns ($4,100)
Cleveland’s D is a top-ten scoring unit while terrorizing opposing QBs for at least three sacks a game in four straight.
Despite giving up 38 to Indy in Week 7, the team made up for that with four sacks, four takeaways, and a score.
The touchdown aside, they still would have gotten to double-digit fantasy points based on that production alone. Seattle has been inconsistent this season, and we’d like to see how the Browns' defense does on the road against Geno Smith and a banged-up receiving corps.
