NFL Fantasy Football Reactions: Week 7

In the early-game window that consisted of seven games, only one of those contests had more than 43 points scored.  Although many of the games were competitive, we continue to see defenses ahead of the majority of offenses. At least the scoring in the late-afternoon games, aside from the Jets and Broncos game, made for some fun football viewing.

I'll always try to give actionable advice at the end of each reaction. In addition to the fantasy takes, hopefully, some of these observations can also give you some ideas if you're thinking about placing some Week 8 NFL bets https://www.rotowire.com/betting/nfl/odds/week-8 . Let's take a look at the Sunday afternoon action. 

Sunday Takeaways

• At least for now, it's been easy to figure out what to expect from Joe Burrow most weeks. When the Bengals face a team with a strong pressure rate, he tends to struggle. When he faces teams that can't create pressure, he obliterates them. It's  possible that the offensive line gels as the season goes on. If that happens, it's possible that there won't be such predictable results. But for now, fantasy managers need to carefully study the matchup to get a feel for what to expect from Burrow in a given week.
• It's looking as if Tom Brady won't be a strong fantasy option this season. Between defenses using  disguised pressure concepts along with quite a bit of zone defense against the pass, the QB is struggling. For most of his career, Brady would know which receiver would be open before the ball was snapped. With the changing defensive styles that disguise pressure, those predictable looks are no longer there. After a pair of embarrassing performances against the Steelers and the Panthers, it would be a bit of a stunner if Brady was a top-12 option going forward. 
• The Jaguars have been in desperate need of an explosive playmaker. Although they really need that game breaker at the WR position, that doesn't appear to be an option. But at least they did the next best thing this week. They decided to give all 15 running back touches to Travis Etienne against the Giants while James Robinson's  only action was a pass that he didn't catch. Although Etienne lost a fumble near the goal line, he was instrumental in opening up the offense throughout the game. Assuming he's now the lead RB, Etienne could be a top-15 running back going forward.
• It's understandable that the Falcons want to run the football. When they shorten games, it gives them an opportunity to keep games close while not exposing their QB. But in a game in which they absolutely needed to pass the ball when trailing big, they failed to do so. Marcus Mariota attempted just 13 passes while the Falcons ran the ball 29 times in a blowout loss. We already know that the lost fantasy season Kyle Pitts is having is past the point of no return. But now it looks as if Drake London may have the same fate. Both are star players who may be busts for fantasy due to their situations.
• Lamar Jackson has now played four uninspiring games in a row. In the previous three games, he was able to put up just a single TD in each contest. Against the Browns, he was unable to produce a TD. He's now thrown for fewer than 175 yards in three of his last four games. The only thing keeping his fantasy value afloat is the fact that he's rushed for 58-77 yards in each of his last four games. It's unlikely that fantasy managers have a better option on the bench. But it may be worth considering a QB rotation for those who have a strong backup option.
• Although the answer's been right in front of them the entire time, hopefully the Packers finally figured something out.  With a group of receivers seemingly unable to make big plays, the team kept rotating them against the Commanders in the hopes of finding the right answer. But when trailing late in the contest, they finally were imaginative enough to get Aaron Jones lined up on the outside on a pass route. It resulted in a 21-yard TD. It was too little too late in this game. But if they continue to use Jones in this manner, he may finally become the elite fantasy option many expected in the preseason. I've been saying since the preseason that he's their best skill-position player, and they need to make him a focal point.
• Since the middle of last season, we've learned that the Buccaneers run defense is no longer one of the top units in the league. That mediocrity was on full display against the Panthers. D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard both shredded this unit. Together, they had 28 touches for 217 yards. Although it's difficult to draw any definitive conclusions for the Carolina RBs, Foreman did see more touches than Hubbard, so it's possible that he has a slight lead in this backfield committee. If Foreman does hold a touch advantage, he could function as a RB2 while Hubbard may be more of a flex option.
• Despite having a soft matchup against the Lions, the Cowboys may have been wise to ease Dak Prescott back into action. The team went with a run-heavy approach. That allowed Prescott to keep his pass attempts at 25.  Even though I expect Prescott to throw more going forward, that may be a week-to-week proposition. With the Cowboys having an excellent defense, there could be a number of weeks where they lean on the rushing attack. But there should be enough games in which the team needs Prescott to take over that should be a top-12 option going forward, but don't be surprised to see a few floor games. 
• Last week, I recommended that fantasy managers in deep leagues consider adding Parris Campbell to their rosters. The main reason is that he's been playing over 80% of the snaps this season. He's now seen double-digit targets two weeks in a row. Although Alec Pierce seems to be a better player, Campbell is  frequently running routes in the middle of the field, which lines up well with Matt Ryan's skillset. Campbell has at least 37 yards in four games this season. Although that's nothing incredible, his recent performances are making him look like a possible flex option in 12-team PPR leagues. 
• It looks like Wan'Dale Robinson is on track to becoming a weekly fantasy option. With the Giants desperately needing a playmaker at the position, he performed well in his first extended action. He led the team with eight targets. With his opportunities, he showed the ability to get open in the short and intermediate areas of the field, allowing Daniel Jones a reliable target. Robinson ended up with 50 yards on six catches, and his production may grow rapidly. He's currently looking like a borderline WR3,  but that may change in the coming weeks. 
• Coming out of their Week 6 bye, the Raiders seemed fully committed to running their offense through Josh Jacobs. It certainly wasn't a terrible idea at home against the Texans in a game in which Houston was very unlikely to light up the scoreboard.  Jacobs had his third-straight game with at least 155 yards and. a TD. It seems as if Jacobs will continue to be a strong top-10 fantasy option at RB while the passing game may have much more weekly volatility. 
• If the Jets are without Breece Hall for any significant period of time, they should consider going back to Joe Flacco at QB. With a strong defense, the Jets will be in most games. But without a strong running game, Zach Wilson is such a liability, that the offense may struggle to score points against any decent defense. If Flacco somehow gets the job back, all of the Jets receivers would receive instant upgrades for fantasy.
• Christian McCaffrey had 62 yards on 10 touches but was mostly used in the first half. Overall, based on the fact he was just acquired Thursday night, Fantasy managers may not have been happy with the results, but at least those who started him didn't take a zero. The biggest question going forward is how the 49ers plan on using him. If they use him primarily as an inside runner, that certainly could be problematic from a durability standpoint. But if they use him as a movable chess piece and largely as a receiver, he'll have incredible upside even if he  doesn't see the volume that he saw in Carolina.
• Many fantasy managers were extremely excited to hear that Isiah Pacheco was expected to get the start for the Chiefs. I tried to explain to to as many people as possible that Andy Reid's quotes had to do with Pacheco's ability in pass protection, which likely was why he started this week. Fortunately for his fantasy managers, the Chiefs had a massive lead in the fourth quarter, allowing Pacheco to get a 17-yard run to give him at least a decent fantasy performance. Going back to the preseason, coach Reid talked about how Pacheco runs hard and fast. But reading between the lines meant that he'd yet to learn the nuances and precision of being a primary NFL running back. I believe that if he becomes a factor, it'll likely be next year or afterwards.

Injuries

• Amon-Ra St. Brown suffered a concussion after catching one pass for four yards. Hopefully he heals well and is ready for action next week. 
• Breece Hall left the field on a cart in the first half after suffering a knee injury. He was quickly ruled out of the contest. That doesn't seem to bode well for his upcoming availability.
• DK Metcalf was carted off the field after sustaining a knee injury in the first quarter.
• Mike Williams was helped off the field while being unable to put weight on his ankle. The Chargers are on their bye next week. 
• Allen Lazard injured his shoulder, and although he returned to the game, he wasn't targeted afterwards. No update was given as to whether this is an injury that could impact his availability in future games. 
• David Njoku was on crutches while in a walking boot after injuring his ankle. After picking up the injury, he was quickly ruled out of the game.
• Russell Gage left the game with a hamstring injury and didn't return. He's been on the injury report with a hamstring injury on numerous occasions throughout the season. It's possible he re-aggravated the injury. It remains to be seen whether he'll miss time going forward. 
• Corey Davis remained on the sidelines after suffering a first-half knee injury.
• Daniel Bellinger was poked in the eye which resulted in him being carted off the field. It's uncertain as to what his status will be  in terms of future games.