NFL Reactions: Week 7

Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by Week 7 of the 2021 NFL Season.

If you're like me, you likely have both hands up. In all my years of playing fantasy football, I can't remember ever being impacted this significantly by the inevitable bye-week blues. The Bills, Cowboys, Chargers, Steelers, Vikings and Jaguars watched along with the rest of us. Yet while they got some much-needed rest and relaxation, many fantasy managers were experiencing just the opposite.

Preparing for a fantasy matchup on a week like this is enough to drive someone mad. All week, I found myself staring at my bench completely filled with most of my best players and looking like the lyrics to a popular NSYNC song from the early 2000s.

Even with that said, I knew I had one saving grace. My prized quarterback: Patrick Mahomes. He'd certainly save me in this ridiculous bye-week bonanza. He would help to keep my team afloat during these trying times. Right?

Nope.

The Chiefs entered Sunday's matchup against the Titans as 4.5-point favorites. Tennessee's defense has struggled to stop passers this season, and most weeks, Mahomes redefines the quarterback position with his awe-inspiring skill set. This was the perfect spot for a truly monster fantasy day.

Not this week.

Mahomes and the Chiefs were atrocious on both offense and defense, scoring three points and allowing 27 to the Titans. The defensive struggles are nothing new, as the Chiefs' porous secondary has been burned repeatedly this season. The offensive struggle is what is most alarming. If the offense isn't putting up at least 30 points, the defense isn't doing it any favors to keep things close. Mahomes was intercepted and lost a fumble Sunday, all while totaling just 206 yards. Of all weeks to not find the end zone, it had to be this one?

Mahomes was supposed to save my fantasy team, but he couldn't even save the Chiefs.

But enough about me and my fantasy woes — let's examine the real-life implications. The Chiefs are now below .500, third in the AFC West at 3-4. Both the Raiders and the Chargers are ahead of them in the division and are playing good football. I'm not ready to say the Chiefs will miss the playoffs this year, but it's not crazy to question this team's ability to make a deep run if it does find itself in the postseason.

Looking at the schedule, the Chiefs will face some great offenses in the coming weeks. They still have games against the Packers, Cowboys, Steelers and Bengals, while also playing the Chargers for the second time and the Raiders twice. Those divisional matchups will loom large with major postseason implications. But the Chiefs likely will have to play perfect offensive football to compensate for the avalanche of points their defense may give up to these opponents.

It's not time for Chiefs fans to hit the panic button just yet, but it's time to at least dust the button off and place it somewhere nearby.

Sunday Takeaways

• After a slow start to the year, Kyle Pitts is finally proving he's the real deal. The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft caught seven of his eight targets for 163 yards in a win over the Dolphins. Pitts previously had a breakout performance against the lowly Jets in Week 6, but that was without Calvin Ridley in the lineup. Ridley returned Week 7, and Pitts didn't skip a beat. And fortunately for his fantasy managers, the 6-foot-6, 246, tight end has already had his bye.
• Damien Harris rushed 14 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught both of his targets for seven yards. Harris seems to have solidified his role as Patriot's lead back, a title that is typically hard to come by in New England's usual revolving-door running back deployment. The 24-year-old could have had an even bigger day if not for teammate J.J. Taylor getting in on the action with a pair of one-yard rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter with the game far out of reach for the Jets. Harris should have another solid fantasy outing in Week 8 when the Patriots take on the Chargers, a favorable matchup for running backs.
• Hunter Henry caught two of his four targets for 23 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's blowout win over the Jets. With this performance, Henry became the first Patriots tight end to score a touchdown in four consecutive games since Rob Gronkowski in 2013. The veteran seems to be the preferred option at tight end when the team is in the red zone, and with Jonnu Smith suffering a shoulder injury, Henry could be in line for even more work. In Week 8, the Patriots square off against the Chargers. Fire up the revenge game narrative. Henry is becoming a player you can start with some level of confidence, especially with tight end production being so difficult to predict every week.
• With Halloween approaching, it appears the ghosts are visiting Carolina's quarterback Sam Darnold again. Sunday's 25-3 loss to the Giants was an absolutely horrific affair in which Darnold completed 16 of 25 passes for 111 yards and one interception. In what projected to be a favorable matchup against a struggling pass defense, Darnold could not get anything going. He was inaccurate and it seemed his pocket awareness was also nonexistent as the Giants pressured him throughout the contest. Darnold ended up being benched in the second half for backup P.J. Walker, rightly so. The Panthers' signal caller has another excellent matchup Week 8 against the Falcons, but he is extremely difficult to trust. Even with bye weeks, it's best to look elsewhere for a streamer.
• On National Tight End Day, the Bengals' C.J. Uzomah is beginning to make a name for himself in the high-flying aerial attack in Cincinnati. Typically an after thought in an offense with big-name wide receivers, Uzomah contributed in a big way in the Bengals' blowout win over the Ravens. The tight end caught all three of his targets for 91 yards and two touchdowns. This performance marks his second two-touchdown game of the season, and the veteran now has five touchdowns in the last four games. With the tight end landscape hard to navigate, Uzomah is certainly worth considering on fantasy rosters, at least as a bye-week filler.
• Ja'Marr Chase is unbelievable. In Sunday's win over the Ravens, the rookie hauled in eight of 10 targets for 201 yards and a touchdown. He now has six touchdowns in seven games. His chemistry with his former college quarterback in Joe Burrow has been on full display, and this offense has taken a big step forward in 2021. Expect another great performance in Week 8 when the Bengals take on the Jets.
• Marquise Brown is still the No. 1 wideout in the Ravens offense. In a day where Baltimore trailed the Bengals most of the game, Brown commanded a massive 45 percent target share with 14 balls thrown in his direction. The 24-year-old speedster caught five for 80 yards and a score. Although inconsistent in the past, Brown appears to be settling in as a reliable receiver for fantasy managers based on his role in the Ravens' offense. With Lamar Jackson airing it out in 2021, Brown should continue to prosper. Baltimore takes on Minnesota after the team's Week 8 bye.
• A.J. Brown is who we thought he was. The wide receiver is returning to form as a reliable pass catcher for Ryan Tannehill despite a bumpy start to the year. In the Titans' big win over the Chiefs, Brown reeled in eight of nine targets for 133 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee's offense is clicking, and Brown is and will continue to be a big part of its success through the air. The Titans have a divisional matchup against the Colts on deck in Week 8.
• In case anyone is still unsure, Cordarrelle Patterson is the Falcons running back you want to roster. In Sunday's 30-28 win over the Dolphins, Patterson rushed 14 times for 60 yards and a touchdown. It was a solid performance for fantasy purposes, but the important thing to note is that Mike Davis only carried four times for 10 yards. Atlanta clearly prefers Patterson as a playmaker out of the backfield, and Davis' fantasy stock is plummeting. It is likely that this trend continues when the Falcons face off against the Panthers in Week 8.
• Mike Evans caught six of his 10 targets for 76 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's blowout win over the Bears. Evans continues to have a nose for the end zone, and Tom Brady continues to put his star wideout in positions to make big plays. Evans will have some down games like his two-catch dud in Week 6, but he is always a threat to find the end zone. Evans and the Buccaneers visit the Saints in Week 8.

Injury Notes

• Josh Jacobs exited the Raiders' win over the Eagles in the first half following a touchdown run. The running back went to the locker room before the end of the half and was eventually ruled out for the second half with a chest injury. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Jacobs appears to have avoided a major injury. With the Raiders on a Week 8 bye, the 23-year-old will have an extra week to recover. If Jacobs can't go, Kenyan Drake should see a major uptick in usage as the lead-dog in the backfield.
• Zach Wilson left the Jets' loss to the Patriots with a knee injury suffered in the second quarter. The rookie signal caller will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury. If Wilson misses time, backup Mike White will lead the team at quarterback. For an offense that is already struggling to put up points, this is just another disappointment to add to the list.
• Jonnu Smith suffered a shoulder injury in the Patriots win over the Jets and did not return. If Smith misses time, teammate Hunter Henry likely will benefit with an increased snap percentage. Henry has already been the go-to tight end lately, so he could see even more opportunities in the offense when the Patriots take on the Chargers, his former team, in Week 8.
• Miles Sanders exited the Eagles game against the Raiders with an ankle injury. He was carted to the locker room in the first half and did not return. The Eagles have struggled to get Sanders going this season, and the injury certainly won't help matters. If the running back misses time, Kenneth Gainwell should take over as Philadelphia's primary ball carrier. He becomes a must-add if available. Fellow running back Boston Scott also likely will see a bump in playing time as a change-of-pace back.
• Patrick Mahomes took a big hit late in the Chiefs' loss to the Titans. The star quarterback suffered what seemed to be a substantial blow to the head and exited the game to be evaluated for a concussion. Mahomes made it through concussion protocol, but coach Andy Reid chose to keep him sidelined with the game already well out of reach. He is expected to play next Monday when the Chiefs play host to the Giants, which should be a bounce-back opportunity for Mahomes after a surprising dud against the Titans.