It’s hard to believe, but we are already coming down the home stretch of the regular season in the AAF. If you’re in season-long leagues, most regular season games end in Week 8 with playoffs going through Weeks 9 and 10. If you have been more active in DFS then you still are guaranteed a few weeks worth of solid play.
Something that will be interesting to watch for rankings will be if we see some of the teams like the Legends and Express, who are pretty much eliminated from playoff contention already, start to mix in more random players frequently to let them get some extra looks and playing time. Luckily with the Apollos getting their first loss last week, we also may not have to worry about them resting starters toward the end of the regular season like we see some NFL teams do in Weeks 16 and 17.
Below is an in-depth breakdown of every fantasy relevant player from every team as we head into Week 7. As always with AAF articles, fantasy stats and points are sourced thanks to Fanball (DFS), No Extra Points, and The Football Database.
Check out our consensus Week 7 AAF Rankings 
Quarterback
Garrett Gilbert remains the safest QB in the league to secure the top spot of rankings. Gilbert has managed at least two total TDs in five-of-six games this season. He committed his first INT of the season last week in a game where he was finally pressured enough to make some bad throws. Gilbert still finished as the QB3 in fantasy last week with 22.2 points and now gets a Week 7 matchup against an Atlanta Legends team that got completely beat up by San Antonio last week. The Legends held Logan Woodside to only 164 passing yards but did give up two passing TDs and a two-pointer. Look for Gilbert and the Apollos to make a statement this week in a bounce-back spot.
Both John Wolford and Mike Bercovici are in a great position to fight for a top spot in the QB ranks this week as they go head-to-head in Week 7. Wolford and the Hotshots are flying high after handing the Apollos their first loss last week. Arizona may have come away with the win, but Wolford offered a modest stat line finishing with only 162 yards, one TD and two 2PT conversions. The matchup for Wolford is great as SD has given up the second most fantasy points to QBs and shown especially vulnerable lately. They made Luis Perez look like Tom Brady last week as he came to life for 359 yards, three TDs, two INTs, and one 2PT.
Bercovici has momentum on his side as he is riding into Week 7 with back-to-back showings of over 300 passing yards. He is the only QB in the AAF to do so. Berco owes a big part of that recent production to Dontez Ford who has been on an absolute tear the last few weeks. With Ford looking questionable to play this week, however, Berco will need to look elsewhere for production. He will still have some capable pass catchers in Nelson Spruce and though tight end Marcus Baugh was a no-show last week, he has been a reliable option recently as well. Berco’s high volume should give him a safe floor which helps make him an attractive DFS play this week.
Logan Woodside and Josh Woodrum could find themselves in a head-to-head shoot out this week, making them both very intriguing DFS plays and earning them safe spots in the heart of the QB ranks. Both defenses have shown extremely vulnerable to the pass this season. Salt Lake is tied for most passing TDs allowed this season (8) while San Antonio has given up the second most passing yards (251 per game).
Woodside has seemed to have put it all together over the last two weeks as he’s been extremely efficient completing 75.9% of his passes during that span. He has also managed two TDs in each of his last two games after totaling only two TDs in his first three games combined.
Woodrum has also been on a hot streak as of late fueled in part by a new, more aggressive pass-heavy offensive game plan. Woodrum has attempted 85 passes over the last two weeks after totaling 75 attempts in his first three games combined. Over the last two weeks, Woodrum has put up yardage totals of 380 and 243 after failing to surpass 200 yards in any game prior to Week 5. This newfound volume hasn’t come without its mistakes as he has committed four INTs over the last two weeks, but luckily those don’t count for negative points on Fanball at least. It wouldn’t surprise me to see either Woodside or Woodrum rank closer to the top at the end of the week in what could be a wild, high-scoring game.
Aaron Murray and the Legends are coming off a rough outing last week and might not have an easy time getting things back on track this week against Orlando. Murray simply did not look the same last week as he struggled with ball placement and just could not get anything going downfield. He settled for check downs often as he managed a season-low 5.2 YPA while also committing three INTs. Before last week, Murray was trending up, looking like one of the best QBs in the league under new offensive coordinator Ken Zampese. Murray now presents some concern as the Legends have essentially fallen out of playoff contention. If they can’t pull off a huge upset this week, their season is essentially over. Murray is a stay away play as the second most expensive QB in DFS this week.
Coach Tim Lewis of the Birmingham Iron said after Week 6 that he feels like the team can win with either Luis Perez or Keith Price under center, leaving some uncertainty as to who we should expect as the starter in Week 7. No matter which QB gets the nod, I am not sold on either being a winning fantasy QB this week. While Perez went turbo last week throwing his first three TDs of the season, there is a much larger body of work over the season that pointed to him being incapable of driving this team down the field. Price, on the other hand, still hasn’t gotten enough opportunity for us to really gauge what his fantasy value can be as a starter. Pair all of this with an unexciting matchup against a sinking Memphis Express team and you have enough reason to stay away from this game altogether.
That goes for Memphis Express QBs Brandon Silvers and Johnny Manziel as well. We could see each QB play half a game in this one as the Express will undoubtedly be pressured to get Manziel on the field, if for nothing else, just for the attention of it all. The Express are basically eliminated from playoff contention already, giving them nothing to really play for going forward.
Running Back
At this point in the season, it’s just silly to go against Trent Richardson as the RB1 in weekly rankings. Richardson has completely separated himself from the pack as the overall RB1 on the season with an insane 51.8 point lead over RB2, Zac Stacy. That comes out to an average of 8.6 more fantasy points per game. To increase T-Rich’s lock on the RB1 spot this week, he gets a plush matchup against the Memphis Express who have given up the second most fantasy points per game to the position. With a commanding role in the red zone and heavy passing game usage, there really isn’t a better option in fantasy right now.
Zac Stacy has been one of the busiest backs in the AAF this season and is coming off a game where he saw a season-high four receptions on six targets for 27 yards and a receiving TD. Stacy saw his role grow in the passing game due to a lack of depth in the backfield and the switch to Brandon Silvers under center. With the QB position a bit of a mess right now for Memphis, Stacy should continue to see the heavy workload that has helped him reach overall RB2 numbers this season and continues to be a good bet to find the end zone any given week.
Joel Bouagnon unsurprisingly saw an enormous workload in the backfield last week with a season-high 19 carries. The change of pace role is a work in progress right now with Terrell Newby and Terron Ward fighting for duties. Bouagnon is second in the league this season with five rushing TDs and should continue to see solid work on the ground. We could see a high-scoring game here this week as Salt Lake takes on San Antonio who has been a middle of the road defense when it comes to running back production allowed.
D’Ernest Johnson continued to see an incredibly versatile role on the Apollos offense last week. He saw six targets in the passing game for the second straight week and is offering a safe weekly floor right around seven fantasy points. Johnson leads all running backs with 449 yards from scrimmage this season and ranks third in the league behind only Charles Johnson and Rashad Ross. De’Veon Smith continues to mix in heavily, but these two are coexisting nicely on an offense strong enough to support two running backs with standalone value. Johnson’s heavy usage in the passing game keeps him ranked higher, especially in Fanball’s PPR-friendly scoring format. Smith had his worst fantasy performance of the season last week with only 3.9 points, but he has remained extremely efficient with his carries. He has averaged 5.9 yards per attempt over the last four weeks and now gets a matchup against a struggling Atlanta Legends team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to RBs. This feels like a strong week for Smith to eat, giving him extreme value at only $4,800 on Fanball this week. I wouldn’t be surprised if Smith outperforms Johnson even.
Tarean Folston was the lone bright spot on the Legends last week as he was the only player who managed to find the end zone. That was about all Folston could get going though as he only managed 21 yards from scrimmage. Folston has now scored three times in the last two weeks, twice through the air and once on the ground. While Brandon Radcliff continues to eat into the backfield workload, Folston is still the more realistic play to expect high output from a fantasy perspective and has dominated red zone work. Radcliff has been trending up each week he has been with the Legends and is coming off his best fantasy performance of the season last week with 10.1 fantasy points. He led the team in rushing and outproduced Folston in receiving yards
Kenneth Farrow has struggled to get much going on the ground since his 142 rushing yard performance back in Week 4. He hasn’t topped 35 rushing yards over the last two weeks but he has managed a rushing TD in back-to-back games. Last week was definitely a little disappointing to not see Farrow used more heavily in a game the Commanders dominated from the get-go, but he also didn’t really lose work to Trey Williams either so the lack of volume isn’t too much of a concern yet. Farrow has definitely taken his lickings between the tackles this season and is likely playing at less than 100% at the moment. A matchup this week against Salt Lake’s stout run defense has me fading Farrow in DFS and pushing him out of the top-five in this week’s rankings.
Jhurell Pressley recorded his first rushing TD of the season last week and could have had a much bigger game as he had two others called back on holding penalties. The Arizona backfield has been all over the place in terms of usage this season. Pressley finished with the most carries in the game last week (13) as he went for 57 yards. He was outproduced by Tim Cook who took 11 carries for 71 yards and even Justin Stockton mixed in with 12 carries for 37 yards. Pressley’s difference maker came in the passing game where he also had a receiving TD while neither Cook nor Stockton saw a target last week. Each back offers something a little bit different in this backfield and despite the inconsistencies in usage, Pressley remains the most versatile of the group with the most upside in fantasy. Cook looks good as a between the tackles grinder but offers a low floor as more of a TD dependent option. Stockton’s workload will be worth watching as he set a season-high in carries last week. He still hasn’t been a factor this season outside of his big play all the way back in Week 2.
With Mike Bercovici slinging the ball for over 300 yards in back-to-back weeks, the Fleet’s backfield has been a complete afterthought. Terrell Watson was the back to own the last two weeks, but that hasn’t amounted to much in fantasy. Watson led the team with only 14 rushing yards in Week 5 and followed that up by leading the team again in Week 6, but still only went for 38 yards. His day was saved by adding in both a rushing and receiving TD last week. Ja’Quan Gardner continues to be a ghost after posting monster games in Weeks 2-3. Gardner has only managed 28 total rushing yards over the last three games combined, yet he still ranks as the overall RB4 in fantasy this season right above D’Ernest Johnson. That’s how big of an impact his big games had. The team has tried getting Gardner more involved in the passing game the last few weeks, but until they commit to targeting him more than two or three times in a game, he will rely on breaking off a big play to carry any value. Bishop Sankey has yet to make an impact since joining the team two weeks ago.
Outside of the top-12 running backs, you don’t find many players who you can really rely on this week. Trey Williams continues to look better than Kenneth Farrow, but Williams isn’t seeing enough work to make much of a dent in this timeshare or in the boxscore. Terron Ward is a player I am still watching closely to see if he can take away RB2 duties from Terrell Newby. Newby has put the ball on the ground in back-to-back weeks and Ward has the skill set to form a formidable committee alongside Joel Bouagnon. Marshaun Coprich is another potential breakout player to watch for the Iron as Brandon Ross is still trying to work his way back from an injury that held him out of action last week.
Wide Receiver
The top two spots at WR continues to be a pick your poison scenario between Rashad Ross and Charles Johnson. I’ve got Ross with the advantage this week after the Hotshots pulled off the upset against the Apollos last week. Ross seemed to have gotten pretty banged up in that game, so his practice participation will be something to watch closely, but as of this writing there hasn’t been anything that has made it sound like the team will be without him this week. The matchup is prime this week as well going up against a San Diego team that has allowed the most fantasy points to wideouts. Charles Johnson is still capable of putting up overall WR1 numbers each and every week despite a negative matchup on paper this week.
Mekale McKay is the overall WR3 on the season and falls in that territory this week in my ranks as well. I was tempted to put McKay as the top option this week as he gets a prime matchup against a super-vulnerable Salt Lake defense, but Johnson and Ross have just been too good and too consistent to bet against. McKay has caught a TD in back-to-back weeks and with Logan Woodside continuing to improve as a passer, McKay’s ceiling will just keep getting higher.
De’Mornay Pierson-El has been a complete boom or bust option over the last four weeks as he has rotated lights out performances with unspectacular ones. Pierson-El is scheduled for a boom this week and the matchup is right to exploit going up against a San Antonio defense that has allowed the most yards and TDs to wide receivers this season. With Josh Woodrum airing it out more often over the last two weeks, Pierson-El could be a solid stacking partner this week in what could be a shoot out.
Dontez Ford is looking pretty doubtful to play this week which gives Nelson Spruce a great opportunity to break out as Mike Bercovici’s favorite target. Spruce still hasn’t had a blow-up game yet yardage wise this season as he hasn’t topped 58 yards all year, but he did have that two-TD performance back in Week 3. Spruce is seeing consistently high target totals lately with eight in each of his last two games. With more targets potentially opening up this week, Spruce makes a solid value play in DFS at $5,400.
Reece Horn finally had the breakout performance we had all been waiting for last week setting season-highs in basically every category. Horn caught eight-of-10 targets for 129 scoreless yards as Brandon Silvers go-to target. If Silvers gets the nod to start and can keep the job throughout the game, Horn could be in a decent spot for a strong follow-up performance. If the team decides to appease the masses and get Manziel some action, though, this could get ugly quick.
Jalin Marshall had completely faded over the heart of the season after sparking the Apollos offense over the first two weeks. Last week, Marshall came back with a vengeance setting season highs with six catches on 11 targets for 98 yards and a TD. The matchup isn’t great on paper for Marshall and with Rannell Hall still a threat to steal work in the passing game, Marshall won’t get much of a bump from me this week despite last week’s performance.
L’Damian Washington is another player whose points I won’t be chasing this week. Last week’s overall WR1 crushed with 128 yards and two TDs on only four catches. The QB situation is still too unsteady here and Washington has steadily hung around the 30-35 yard mark each game this season. Last week will likely be an outlier for Washington but with the big-play potential he did display, there is a reason for him to at least get a bump inside the top-10.
Richard Mullaney came back from injury at the perfect time for the Hotshots last week as he led the team with six catches for 73 yards in their victory over the Apollos. There is plenty of shootout potential in this game versus a San Diego team that has given up the most fantasy points to wideouts this season. There is certainly room for both Ross and Mullaney to have a big game this week, and if Ross is limited, Mullaney could really break out.
Seantavius and Malachi Jones both continue to see consistent work side-by-side in the Legends passing game and be targeted frequently in the red zone. We still haven’t really seen either break out for a big game yet which keeps them out of the top-10 conversation, but their steady floor doesn’t keep them too far from it. Perhaps this is the week one of them will finally put it all together in a game where the Legends will likely need to go with a pass-heavy offense to try and keep up with Orlando.
Quinton Patton has seen crazy high target totals the last two weeks with 11 in Week 5 and 15 last week. You wouldn’t have known it by looking at his final stat lines, however, as he has only managed lines of 4/26 and 8/53 respectively. This has basically been the story of Patton’s season. There hasn’t been a lack of opportunity, but he just isn’t doing anything with it. If he couldn’t break out in a game where Luis Perez threw for over 300 yards and three TDs, it may never happen for Patton. His high volume keeps him close to the top-12, but you can’t expect much here.
The heart of the wide receiver ranks gives you a lot of players who have given inconsistent weekly floors but still carry some potential for solid numbers. New Memphis Express wideout Daniel Williams will be a name to watch as he burst onto the scene with seven catches on 11 targets for 70 yards last week. Again, this Express QB situation scares me a little so I am not expecting much there.
Rannell Hall has had his moments this season and even set a season-high with eight targets last week. He hasn’t topped 25 receiving yards in each of the last two weeks, however, and saw Jalin Marshall reemerge as a big threat last week.
Tight End
The tight end position continued its newfound threat as a respectable weapon in the league after being rather quiet to start the season. We have seen a lot of movement in the ranks as of late and it’s not just as easy as putting Gavin Escobar on top anymore.
The Salt Lake Stallions duo of Nick Truesdell and Anthony Denham rule the tight end ranks at TE1 and TE2 respectively. Truesdell has been on fire the last few weeks and has a commanding lead as the team’s top wideout with 54.1 fantasy points on the season compared to 33.3 for Denham. These numbers would put Truesdell in WR10 territory behind Reece Horn in comparison. Both SLC tight ends have a great shot at staying hot this week going up against a San Antonio defense that has given up the second most fantasy points to the position this season.
Wes Saxton Jr. took a step back last week after leading the Iron in receiving in Weeks 4 and 5. Saxton’s three receptions on four targets stayed right on par as he has seen those totals basically every week. Saxton will have a get-right matchup this week against a Memphis defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends.
Marcus Baugh is another tight end who came crashing back down to earth last week after making some noise in Weeks 4 and 5. Baugh saw the extreme end of regression last week by not even registering a catch on only two targets as fellow tight end Ben Johnson continued to roll with a TD last week. I still like Baugh’s chances of a bounce-back this week, especially if the team will be without Dontez Ford. Baugh has been a quality downfield target compared to Johnson who has seen a role specifically in the red zone. While that is obviously a valuable role for Johnson, it doesn’t leave much room for upside as he has registered 30 yards or less in every game this season.
Keith Towbridge has been one of the most targeted tight ends as of late and managed over nine fantasy points in each of the last two weeks. If Atlanta’s offense can get back on track this week, Towbridge could be a primary beneficiary. He is still looking for his first TD this season and has seen four red zone targets over the last five games.
Outside of the top five tight ends, things start getting pretty dicey. Evan Rodriguez has shown the ability to find the end zone on occasion this season but that is about it. He has only seen one target in each of his last three games. Gavin Escobar has fallen off as others at the position have found success even on the same team. Escobar has only been able to register one reception on six targets over the last two weeks and has been acting as more of a check-down option at best as Marcus Baugh and Ben Johnson have been more productive.
The rest of the tight ends are desperation plays where you are praying for a TD as none of them are offering solid volume or frequent quality looks in the red zone.
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John Ferguson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from John, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyFerguson.
