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NFL Week 7 — with the exception of tonight’s Patriots-Jets matchup — is in the books. Let’s look at the biggest takeaways from all of Sunday’s action as we analyze 12 major takeaways from the games played. We’ll also look ahead to Week 8 and see what edges we can get for the upcoming main slate. The prices discussed are for DraftKings.
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1) Aaron Rodgers
Have a day! On Sunday, he connected on 25 of 31 passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns and added a rushing score. If you won a GPP this week it was probably on the back of Rodgers, who scored 46.76 points. He was at 1.6 percent ownership in the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT GPP contest. Most were off Rodgers because of all the injuries to his receivers, but the matchup was good versus the Raiders, so he should have been higher owned at just $6,400. With quarterbacks, always note that you should never 100 percent fade the great matchups even if the quarterback lacks weapons, especially if the defense they are facing can’t rush the passer.
2) Dalvin Cook
Cook smashed in NFL Week 7, rushing 25 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns. His productive game was not a surprise to most as Cook was heavily owned in DraftKings. Cook was owned in 36.9 percent of the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP and 26.7 percent in the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT contest. Even at $8,000, he was a great play. For Week 8 Cook is off the main slate as the Vikings take on the Redskins in a revenge game for Kirk Cousins on Thursday night.
3) Leonard Fournette
Fournette saw the highest cash game ownership of any one player that I have seen all season. In the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP he was owned in 88.7 percent of lineups. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT he was owned in 57.5 percent of all lineups. At $7,000, he was one of the best values on the slate by delivering 19.5 Fantasy points. The folks at DraftKings have finally addressed his usage, however. with his price going up to $7,800 for Week 8 when the Jaguars play the Jets at home.
4) Josh Jacobs
At $5,000, Jacobs was one of the cheapest running backs in play on the slate. He was very popular in GPPs, garnering 30.6 percent ownership in the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT contest. He saw even higher ownership in the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP contest with 37 percent. But he delivered on it, rushing for 124 yards on 21 carries while adding three receptions. Above all, seeing his involvement in the passing game is very inspiring for him going forward. In Week 8, his salary is $5,800. That will put him back on the radar on the road versus the Texans.
5) Darren Waller
The top tight end play on the week, Waller absolutely balled out. He caught seven of eight targets for 126 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday’s 42-24 loss to Green Bay. Waller was an extreme candidate for touchdown regression, and that showed up big on Sunday. He was at $4,700 and had decent ownership in both GPPs and cash games. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT he was at 11.4 percent. In the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP he was at 11.2 percent. For Week 8 he is the second-most expensive tight end on the slate at $5,900, only behind George Kittle at $6,500. He and the Raiders draw the Texans on Sunday.
6) T.Y. Hilton
We all knew the Hilton splits against the Texans going in. Once again, he delivered. Hilton caught six of 11 targets for 74 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 30-23 win over the Texans. Hilton was stone-cold chalk in DFS at wide receiver in NFL Week 7. In the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP he was owned in a whopping 73.1 percent of lineups. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT he was owned in 39 percent of lineups. The Colts play host to the Broncos in Week 8 with Hilton priced at $6,100. That could be tough for Hilton but could help fellow receiver Zach Pascal, who will probably not see coverage from Chris Harris. Pascal is coming off a 31.6 Fantasy point performance and is at $4,300 in Week 8.
7) Marvin Jones Jr.
The WR2s on teams are always the ones that blow up in winning GPP lineups. In Week 7 that WR2 was Marvin Jones, who caught 10 of 13 targets for 93 yards and four touchdowns during Sunday’s 42-30 loss to the Vikings. He scored 43.3 fantasy points but was owned in just 1.7 percent of lineups in the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT GPP contest. Looking ahead, the Lions will face the Giants in Week 8, which is a great matchup for the entire Detroit passing attack. Jones will surely garner ownership at $5,800 and Kenny Golladay (at $6,400) will definitely bounce back after a total dud in Week 7.
8) Latavius Murray
With no Alvin Kamara, Murray was the bell cow back and destroyed the Chicago defense that played without Akiem Hicks. At $5,100, he carried 27 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught five of six targets for 31 yards. In the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP he was at 15.2 percent ownership and in the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT he was at 9.5 percent ownership. In Week 8 he will be on the roster radar if Kamara is out again. He is only $5,800 and faces the Cardinals. His heavy involvement in both the passing and running game makes him an extremely enticing cash play for Week 8
9) Chase Edmonds
If only we knew that David Johnson was going to be used sparingly as reported post-game. If that information was known prior to kickoff, Edmonds would have been in an absolute smash spot at $4,700 as the primary back versus the Giants. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT GPP contest he was owned in just 1.7 percent of lineups. As a result, DraftKings is ready for Johnson to be limited in Week 8 as Edmonds’ salary has inflated to $6,200 versus the Saints. Johnson is at $6,400.
10) Hunter Henry
Henry was a highly-owned tight end that was one of the few that did not bust in Week 7. He scored 15.7 Fantasy points and had 97 receiving yards on six receptions. His value was excellent at just $4,000. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT contest he was owned in 22.3 percent of lineups and a whopping 35.2 percent of lineups in the NFL MASSIVE $50 DOUBLE UP. In Week 8 his price has increased to $4,900 when the Chargers take on the Bears at Soldier Field.
11) John Brown
Brown secured five of six targets for 83 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ 31-21 win over the Dolphins on Sunday. He was in a great spot in Week 7 against the porous Dolphins secondary. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT contest Brown was owned in 17.4 percent of lineups so he was pretty chalky. Expect to see more of the same from that in Week 8 when Brown takes on the Eagles. His salary is at $5,900 and with such a great matchup he cannot be ignored. Additionally, Brown has a floor, making him cash viable with him having at least five targets in every game. He has also not scored less than 9.5 Fantasy points yet this season.
12) DeAndre Hopkins
Though I never recommend to pay up at receiver, Hopkins was finally able to break out in Week 7. At $7,800 Hopkins scored 28.6 Fantasy points, but one could argue that the departure of Will Fuller helped Hopkins get more targets in this contest. In the NFL $100K ENGAGE EIGHT contest Hopkins was owned in 10.5 percent of lineups. For Week 8, I will not be playing Hopkins because he’s going to be extremely chalky at $8,100. I would much rather play Kenny Stills at $4,700 who, after the departure of Fuller, accumulated 105 receiving yards. The Texans play the Raiders at home in Week 8.
