Fantasy Stars
Week 7 fantasy football rankings: Feed Zeke while you still can
Oct 19, 2017, 1:17 pm
Below are my early PPR fantasy rankings for Week 7. Most leagues are using points per reception these days, so take that into consideration when looking at the ranks. Six points are awarded for every receiving and rushing TD, and four points for every passing TD. If you are playing in a non-PPR league, pass-catching running backs lose a bit of value and so do possession receivers. Make sure you check the status of players that have been limited or out of practice. The rankings will be updated on Sunday morning.
If you have any start-sit questions, feel free to hit me up at @jordanpfx on Twitter, and I will do my best to get to every question. Include your scoring system with your questions. My ranks are a little abreviated this week, but will be back to normal next week. Good luck!
QB
1 D. Brees NO
2 T. Brady NE
3 C. Wentz PHI
4 D. Prescott DAL
5 M. Ryan ATL
6 K. Cousins WAS
7 M. Mariota TEN
8 C. Newton CAR
9 C. Palmer ARI
10 A. Smith KC
11 R. Wilson SEA
12 P. Rivers LAC
13 D. Carr OAK
14 B. Roethlisberger PIT
15 A. Dalton CIN
RB
1 E. Elliott DAL
2 D. Freeman ATL
3 L. Bell PIT
4 K. Hunt KC
5 T. Gurley LAR
6 L. McCoy BUF
7 L. Fournette JAC *Inactive
8 M. Ingram NO
9 M. Gordon LAC
10 J. Howard CHI
11 C. Anderson DEN
12 A. Peterson ARI
13 C. Hyde SF
14 D. Martin TB
15 J. Ajayi MIA
16 C. Ivory JAX
17 D. Henry TEN
18 A. Kamara NO
19 J. White NE
20 J. McKinnon MIN
21 T. Coleman ATL
22 C. McCaffrey CAR
23 D. Johnson CLE
24 J. Mixon CIN
25 M. Lynch OAK
26 F. Gore IND
27 C. Thompson WAS
28 A. Jones GB
29 L. Blount PH
30 D. Murray TEN *He's active but may lose touches to Henry because of his hamstring.
WR
1 A. Green CIN
2 D. Bryant DAL
3 J. Jones ATL
4 M. Thomas NO
5 A. Brown PIT
6 L. Fitzgerald ARI
7 M. Crabtree OAK
8 M. Evans TB
9 C. Hogan NE
10 D. Thomas DEN
11 A. Jeffery PHI
12 J. Landry MIA
13 J. Nelson GB
14 D. Baldwin SEA
15 T. Hill KC
16 B. Cooks NE
17 E. Decker TEN
18 A. Thielen MIN
19 D. Adams GB
20 T. Hilton IND
21 D. Funchess CAR
22 R. Matthews TEN
23 John Brown ARI
24 N. Agholor PHI
25 M. Bryant PIT
26 D. Amendola NE
27 K. Allen LAC *questionable
28.D. Jackson TB
29.P. Garcon SF
30.A. Cooper OAK
TE
1 R. Gronkowski NE
2 T. Kelce KC
3 Z. Ertz PHI
4 J. Graham SEA
5 A. Seferian-Jenkins NYJ
6 H. Henry LAC
7 D. Walker TEN *He's active
8 E. Engram NYG
9 C. Brate TB
10 A. Hooper ATL
11 J. Reed WAS
12 K. Rudolph MIN
DEF
1 Vikings
2 Broncos
3 Jaguars
4 Seahawks
5 Panthers
6 Steelers
7 Titans
8 Chiefs
9 Bills
10 Dolphins
11 Bengals
12 Saints
Kicker
1 S. Gostkowski NE
2 D. Bailey DAL
3 M. Bryant ATL
4 R. Succop TEN
5 J. Elliott PHI
6 W. Lutz NO
7 S. Hauschka BUF
8 G. Gano CAR
9 G. Zuerlein
10 H. Butker KC
11 A. Vinatieri
12 B. Walsh SEA
Indianapolis (4-3) at Houston (5-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
BetMGM NFL Odds: Texans by 6.
Against the spread: Indianapolis 6-1; Houston 3-3-1.
Series record: Colts lead 33-12-1.
Last meeting: Texans beat Colts 29-27 on Sept. 8, in Indianapolis.
Last week: Colts beat Dolphins 16-10; Texans lost to Packers 24-22.
Colts offense: overall (16), rush (14), pass (17), scoring (18).
Colts defense: overall (29), rush (31), pass (23), scoring (T12).
Texans offense: overall (11), rush (15), pass (10), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (8), pass (4), scoring (17).
Turnover differential: Colts plus-2, Texans plus-3.
RB Jonathan Taylor. Despite the Colts optimism each of the past three weeks, Taylor has continued to sit out. Now, he appears to be close to fully recovered from the sprained ankle that knocked him out late in the victory over Pittsburgh on Sept. 29. It’s unclear how much Taylor will play — or how effective he’ll be — but having Taylor in the backfield will only make QB Anthony Richardson's ability to run more of an option.
QB C.J. Stroud. The second-year pro looks to bounce back after throwing for a career-low 86 yards without a TD pass last week. The Texans are focused on improving his protection after he was sacked four times and hit another seven in the loss to Green Bay. He’s been great at home this season, going 3-0 with 936 yards passing.
Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. the Indianapolis run defense. Mixon has had at least 100 yards rushing in each of the three full games he’s played this season. The former Bengal, who is in his first year in Houston, had 115 yards rushing and ran for two touchdowns last week for his 10th career game with at least two rushing scores. Now Mixon, who ran for a season-high 159 yards and a TD in Week 1 against the Colts, will face a run defense which ranks 31st in the NFL by allowing 159.9 yards a game. Indianapolis has allowed at least 185 yards rushing three times this season, capped by 188 yards last week against Miami.
Indy’s injury list finally appears to be shrinking. Richardson (right hip) and Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly (calf) returned last week against Miami. Taylor is scheduled to return Sunday at Houston and All-Pro DT DeForest Buckner (sprained ankle) returned to practice Wednesday. WRs Michael Pittman Jr. (back), Josh Downs (toe) and Alec Pierce (shoulder) have continued to play through their injuries, leaving one big question mark this weekend — LB E.J. Speed (knee), who missed last week’s game. … Houston LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) missed Sunday’s game and could be out again this week after missing practice. ... LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) and CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) returned to practice after missing time but coach DeMeco Ryans wouldn't say if they'll play Sunday.
Houston has won three of the past four matchups, the past two by a total of six points — both in Indy. ... This will be the third meeting between these franchises in an eight-game stretch. ... Stroud and Richardson were selected two picks apart in the 2023 NFL draft and they developed a friendship while preparing for the draft. But they’ve only played against one another twice. Richardson won the first meeting in Week 2 of 2023, rushing for two scores in Houston before leaving with a concussion. Stroud won the rematch in September.
Sunday will mark the second matchup this season between Colts DBs coach Ron Milus and his son, Texas defensive assistant Ryan Milus. ... The Colts have won four of their past five since starting the season 0-2. ... Indy is 4-9-1 in division games since the start of the 2022 season. But the Colts can even the season series with Houston and pull into a tie for the AFC South lead with a victory. ... Indy’s 31 plays of 20 or more yards this season are the fourth most in the NFL this season. ... Pittman needs 2 yards receiving to reach 4,000 in his five-year career. ... Taylor needs 78 total yards to pass Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (6,040 yards) for No. 4 in franchise history. ... Richardson and 39-year-old Joe Flacco have thrown a total of 10 TD passes this season. ... Pierce leads the NFL with an average of 25.5 yards per catch and has a league-high five receptions of 40 or more yards. ... Colts DE Laiatu Latu’s two sacks are tied with Jonah Elliss of Denver for the most among NFL rookies. ... LB Zaire Franklin leads the NFL in tackles with 78. ... CB Jaylon Jones is one of seven players to pick off two passes in a game this season. His eight passes defensed are also tied for No. 5 in the league. … The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their past two games. … Houston WR Stefon Diggs has had at least 65 yards receiving in four of his past five games. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two games against the Colts. … WR Tank Dell, who didn’t have a catch last week, had seven receptions for 72 yards a touchdown in the previous game against the Colts in Houston. … DE Danielle Hunter has had a sack in two straight games. … DE Will Anderson has had at least one tackle for loss in three straight games and at least one sack in his past two. He is tied for sixth in the NFL with 6½ sacks this season. … DT Tim Settle had two tackles for losses and a sack last week. … LB Neville Hewitt led the team with a season-high nine tackles last week and had an interception. … S Calen Bullock is tied for first among rookie in the league with three interceptions. He had an interception in the first meeting with Indianapolis. … CB Derek Stingley had six tackles, including one for a loss and defended a pass last week. ... LB Devin White, a Pro Bowler in 2021 with Tampa Bay, signed with Houston on Wednesday.
Mixon should be a good pickup this week against Indy’s struggling run defense after he’s combined for 217 yards rushing with three rushing TDs and one touchdown reception in the two games since returning from injury.