Week 7 in the 2022 NFL season will be a bit more challenging than last week due to quality teams resting on their Bye Week. Buffalo, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and the Los Angeles Rams’ players will not be available to roster on this DFS slate, which means we’ll have to dive deeper into other teams. It’s an exciting prospect, especially with the parity we’ve seen play out week to week this season.
Who would’ve thought that the New York Jets would have a plus-15 point differential and a 4-2 record right now? The Super Bowl LIV rematch between Patrick Mahomes (QB – Chiefs) and Jimmy Garoppolo (QB – 49ers) gets an added boost following the trade of star running back Christian McCaffery (RB – 49ers) to the 49ers on Thursday night. The Chargers and Seahawks will face each other in Week 7 and there have been plenty of points to go around on both offenses. Plus, the return of Dak Prescott (QB – Cowboys) under center for the Dallas Cowboys will be an intriguing storyline to follow against a bad Detroit Lions defense.
Here are my favorite players to add to your DraftKings and FanDuel lineups ahead of Sunday’s 11-game main slate for Week 7.
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Joe Burrow (QB – Bengals): $6,900
The third-year franchise quarterback is heating up behind an improved offensive line in the past couple of games. Joe Burrow recorded five turnovers against Pittsburgh in a Week 1 upset but he’s been nearly turnover free since, throwing for his second 300-yard outing in a comeback win against New Orleans during Week 6. Burrow’s completion percentage has grown from 63 percent to 75 percent against the Saints. Against Atlanta’s 30th-ranked pass defense, Burrow is a great return on investment in DFS lineups.
Dak Prescott (QB – Cowboys): $6,700
It was an ugly, forgettable game against Tampa Bay in Week 1 for Dak Prescott. The hand injury sustained during the fourth quarter of that lopsided loss to the Bucs has resulted in Prescott rehabbing and allowing backup quarterback Cooper Rush (QB – Cowboys) to lead the Cowboys to a 4-1 record during his time as a starter. The Detroit Lions have the league’s seventh-worst pass defense while ranking last in run defense. Prescott will benefit from a strong running game with play-action passes and perhaps a bit of his mobility. Plug Prescott into lineups for a potentially huge outing in Week 7.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Jackson (QB – Ravens) ($8,000) and Matt Ryan (QB – Colts) ($5,400) both get great matchups against porous defenses. Jackson could turn in a 100-yard rushing day against the Browns’ run defense, while Ryan will try to replicate his numbers against Jacksonville against Tennessee’s lackluster secondary.
FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $60,000
Aaron Rodgers (QB – Packers): $7,100
There’s no sugarcoating it for Aaron Rodgers. His numbers have dipped but his arm is still one of the most talented in the league. Against Washington’s pass defense, which has allowed the second-most passing touchdowns (12) this season, Rodgers finds himself in a must-win game against an underwhelming secondary. The Packers may abandon the rushing attack early to rack up points through the air against an injured, inexperienced Commanders offense.
Daniel Jones (QB – Giants): $6,900
Daniel Jones has been quietly increasing his completion percentage and pass attempts in his last two games against Green Bay and Baltimore. The 5-1 Giants are buzzing right now and Jones also offers solid rushing upside for production in DFS lineups. The Jaguars’ defense started the season on fire but has since cooled off substantially. The availability of rookie wideout Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – Giants) will help Jones out in the Giants’ passing attack against a bottom-12 pass defense on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (QB – Buccaneers) ($7,400) and Derek Carr (QB – Raiders) ($7,600) offer high floors respectively against two defenses that are gritty but lack consistent pressure up front. Both are a bit expensive but for good reason, so plug in Brady against Carolina or Carr against Houston if you want to spend your salary on running backs and wideouts.
Running Backs
DraftKings
Joe Mixon (RB – Bengals): $7,000
It isn’t the best matchup for Joe Mixon on paper, but the Atlanta Falcons’ run defense is still surrendering 4.4 YPC and five rushing touchdowns this season. The Bengals utilize Mixon as a dual-threat weapon out of the backfield, as he drew six targets in Week 6, including a touchdown reception. Cincinnati’s expensive offensive line is now beginning to play as a cohesive unit, meaning Mixon is due for increased production with frequent trips to the red zone on the backs of Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ passing attack.
Josh Jacobs (RB – Raiders): $6,500
The heart and soul of Las Vegas’ offense under first-year head coach Josh McDaniels is Josh Jacobs. The fourth-year running back has handled over 20 carries in each of his previous games, is fresh off of a Bye Week, and faces Houston’s 3oth-ranked run defense in Week 7. He’s also getting five to six targets per game, raising his floor if he winds up without a touchdown for the first time in three weeks, which appears unlikely. Fire up Jacobs with confidence in a plus-matchup.
Honorable Mentions: Breece Hall (RB – Jets) ($6,200) and Ezekiel Elliot (RB – Cowboys) ($6,000) are in two different situations based on opposing defenses but each offers value. Hall is taking over the Jets’ backfield in a run-centric offense, while Elliot faces the league’s worst run defense.
FanDuel
Austin Ekeler (RB – Chargers): $9,500
After a sluggish start, especially with running the football, Austin Ekeler is all the way back for the Chargers. The sixth-year running back was held in check on the ground against a great Denver run defense, but he still scored a rushing touchdown in Week 6 and was peppered with 16 targets. Ekeler caught ten receptions for an additional 47 yards as a receiver last week, so he should be able to double his production against Seattle’s 31st-ranked run defense.
Kenneth Walker III (RB – Seahawks): $7,300
Rookie running back Kenneth Walker runs with a physical edge and is elusive in open space. He benefits from running behind an underrated offensive line that includes a top-ten draft pick with tackle Charles Cross (T – Seahawks), taking advantage of huge running lanes in an increasingly run-centric Seattle offense. You’ll have to pay up to get Walker but he’s facing a Chargers run defense that is bottom ten in the league.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Jones (RB – Packers) ($6,800) and Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – Commanders) ($6,100) will play each other in Week 7 but both have good opportunities, albeit in a different fashion. Jones is the most explosive player in Green Bay’s offense but has a tough task against Washington’s defensive line, while Robinson handled the bulk of carries and gets a plus-matchup against Green Bay’s bottom-five run defense.
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Ja’Marr Chase (WR – Bengals): $8,200
Cincinnati’s 2021 first-round draft pick, Ja’Marr Chase, had a quiet start to 2022 but he exploded in New Orleans to the tune of a 7/132/2 stat line. The Bengals will exploit Atlanta’s bottom-three pass defense early and often, meaning Chase could easily pop for similar production again in Week 7. Whether it’s volume or big-playmaking ability, Chase is a must-add in DFS lineups during Cincinnati’s first home game since September.
Allen Lazard (WR – Packers): $6,100
Green Bay hasn’t quite figured out its offense yet but it’s clear that Aaron Rodgers trusts wideout Allen Lazard more than any other receiver in their passing attack. Lazard has seen eight to nine targets each of the last three weeks and gets a plus matchup against Washington’s pass defense, which has allowed 12 receiving touchdowns and 12.1 yards per reception. Lazard has scored a touchdown in four of five games he’s played in for the Packers this season, meaning that he’s a high-floor play in DFS lineups on Sunday.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Aiyuk (WR – 49ers) ($6,000) recorded the first two-touchdown game of his three-year career against Atlanta in Week 6. Kansas City’s secondary is its weakness, allowing a league-high 15 receiving touchdowns against its opponents.
FanDuel
Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – Colts): $7,500
After witnessing Matt Ryan decimate a previously good Jacksonville defense in Week 6, Michael Pittman Jr. is a must-add ahead of the best wide receiver matchup in Week 7. The Titans are 32nd against the pass, while they are the sixth-best team against running backs. Jonathan Taylor’s (RB – Colts) return may create a more balanced approach for the Colts, but Pittman will certainly be a focal point.
Chris Godwin (WR – Buccaneers): $7,000
One of the highest floor players to target in Week 7 at the wide receiver position is Chris Godwin. In a Tampa Bay offense that has aired it out over 40 times per game nearly every week, Godwin’s outlook is high. He has caught six to seven receptions for 59 yards or more in three straight weeks against vulnerable pass defenses. Carolina is injured and imploding on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Expect more of the same from Godwin, who is overdue for his first touchdown of the 2022 season.
Honorable Mention: Devin Duvernay (WR – Ravens) ($5,900) is not Lamar Jackon’s favorite target in the passing attack but he’s carved out a nice role and offers a high floor. Cleveland has the 13th-worst pass defense, and with Mark Andrews (TE – Ravens) popping up as questionable on the injury report, Duvernay could see a spike in targets, leading to nice production at an affordable salary.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
David Njoku (TE – Browns): $4,200
Baltimore’s pass defense is struggling to find answers but they are good against opposing running backs. Nick Chubb (RB – Browns) is the motor that drives Cleveland’s offense, so if he gets contained for the second week in a row, David Njoku is set up for a productive outing. He has over 50 receiving yards in four consecutive games, so Njoku is a high-floor play at a volatile position.
Honorable Mention: Gerald Everett (TE – Chargers) ($4,000) has the chance to pop off against a bad Seattle pass defense. The Seahawks have allowed huge production to the tight end position this season and Chargers wideout Keenan Allen (WR – Chargers) continues to miss time. Fire Everett up, as he’s drawing six to seven targets on average this season, while scoring two touchdowns and going over 50 yards in half of the games he’s played.
FanDuel
Travis Kelce (TE – Chiefs): $8,300
The undisputed king of the tight end position, Travis Kelce will be busy all afternoon against San Francisco’s talented defense. Kansas City has relied on its alpha tight end to move the chains and score touchdowns in tough spots, as the rest of the offense rotates between its deep backfield and speedy wide receiving corps. Pay up for a potentially explosive outing for the league’s top tight end in Week 7.
Honorable Mention: Evan Engram (TE – Jaguars) ($5,200) is a player that Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence (QB – Jaguars) leans on quite frequently. The sixth-year tight end has 16 targets across the last two weeks, hitting at least five receptions and 40 receiving yards. The New York Giants have a stingy defense, but the Jaguars will need to move the ball somehow, which means Engram will once again function as Lawrence’s safety valve.
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Buccaneers D/ST: $3,900
Carolina already traded its star running back, Christian McCaffery, and is rumored to be up for trading wideout D.J. Moore (WR – Panthers). P.J. Walker (QB – Panthers) was awful in Week 6 during his first start of the season, while Sam Darnold (QB – Panthers) and Baker Mayfield (QB – Panthers) are recovering from ankle injuries. There’s hardly any hope for the Panthers’ offense, so play the matchup and plug in Tampa Bay’s defense, which arguably has the best front-seven unit in the league.
Honorable Mention: Giants D/ST ($2,900) will play Jacksonville on the road but they have held opponents to under 215 passing yards in five consecutive games. Wink Martindale’s defense continues to exceed expectations, so add them against a struggling Jaguars offense in Week 7.
FanDuel
Dallas Cowboys D/ST: $4,700
Detroit will get wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – Lions) back in the lineup and potentially D’Andre Swift (RB – Lions), however, they were shut out against New England in Week 5. Dallas’ defense is a top-five unit overall in the league right now and could be playing in a lot of desirable third-and-long situations with Dak Prescott’s return under center.
Honorable Mention: Los Angeles Chargers D/ST ($3,800) is without edge rusher Joey Bosa (OLB/DE – Chargers) but the defense is playing better and gets a sputtering Seattle passing attack at home in Week 7.
