Week 7 Fantasy Football Streaming Options
The Week 6 stream was a mixed bag. On the one hand, Josh McCown put up 22.26 fantasy points, good for seventh among quarterbacks, while Austin Seferian-Jenkins’s 16.6 points made him the fourth-best tight end for the week. On the other, Ryan Griffin and George Kittle scored 8.2 and 8.6 fantasy points, respectively. On to Week 7, where we have just two teams on bye, but also the ever-high volume of injured players.
For streaming purposes, 4for4’s Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed (aFPA) is a metric we rely on heavily to determine weekly matchup strength. As the season progresses and more data is available, aFPA becomes more and more reliable, using rolling 10-week data. Targets and efficiency metrics are also considered when coming up with weekly streamers.
To provide advice that you can actually use, candidates for streaming must be available in at least 50% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.
Aaron Rodgers Injury: Packers QB Suffers Broken Collarbone Against Vikings
Quarterbacks
Tyrod Taylor, Bills vs. Buccaneers (47% owned)
Taylor has had an up-and-down season, scoring more than 17.5 point twice, but fewer than 13 points in his other three games. His lack of weapons is apparent, yet the mobile quarterback often finds ways to get the job done, thanks in large part to what he can do on the ground.
This week, Buffalo gets a home contest against a Tampa Bay defense that ranks among the league’s worst at defending opposing signal callers, allowing an aFPA of 21.1 points to the position. Taylor and the Bills are coming off a bye and playing at home, both of which are contextual factors that should work in his favor.
Blake Bortles, Jaguars at Colts (15% owned)
Get those moans and groans out of the way, because the Jaguars quarterback is in a good position to produce this week. He takes on a Colts defense, against which he has scored at least 21 points the last four times he has seen it across the line. The Colts are ranked 28th against opposing quarterbacks, with an aFPA of 20.8 points allowed to the position. The Jaguars are road favorites in this game, and the only teams the Colts have defeated this year are the winless Browns and 49ers. You may not want to watch the game if you stream Bortles, but he’s a good bet for anyone in need of quarterback help in Week 7.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings
C.J. Beathard, 49ers vs. Cowboys (5% owned)
Beathard went 19-of-36 for 245 yards and a score in relief of Brian Hoyer last week, helping to get the 49ers back into what was an eventual loss to the Redskins. He’ll make his first career start on Sunday in a home tilt against the Cowboys.
There’s enough talent in the San Francisco offense for Beathard to be a worthy streamer, if he can develop some consistency. Plenty of quarterbacks in the league would trade their skill players in a heartbeat for a group that includes Carlos Hyde, Pierre Garcon, Marquise Goodwin and George Kittle. Dallas struggles against quarterbacks and comes into this contest ranked 26th with an aFPA of 18.6 points allowed to the position.
Other streamable quarterbacks this week: Jared Goff, Rams vs. Cardinals (46% owned), Jay Cutler, Dolphins vs. Jets (15% owned), Mitchell Trubisky, Bears vs. Panthers (7% owned).
Tight Ends
Ben Watson, Ravens at Vikings (15% owned)
Watson has emerged as a fantasy-relevant tight end, with 176 receiving yards and a touchdown through six weeks. Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but he’s one of the few reliable options in a limited Ravens offense, and the bar to clear at tight end in most fantasy formats is low.
The Ravens head to Minnesota this week to take on a Vikings defense that is league average against tight ends. With Xavier Rhodes locking down the offense’s top receiver, Joe Flacco may be forced, even more than he already is by his limited weapons and skill set, to the middle of the field. That would be great news for anyone who invests in Watson this week.
George Kittle, 49ers vs. Cowboys (12% owned)
Kittle racked up another eight targets last week, second most on the team. His presence in the offense has increased over the last two weeks, and that won’t be changing now that his college teammate, C.J. Beathard, is under center. The Cowboys allowed three of the first five tight ends they faced to score double-digit fantasy points. The matchup is good, and, more importantly, Kittle is trending in the right direction. If you pick him up, don’t assume you’ll be dropping him after this week.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Injury Report
Nick O’Leary, Bills vs. Buccaneers (1% owned)
With Charles Clay on the shelf due to arthroscopic knee surgery, O’Leary gets the starting nod in Buffalo. Before the bye week, the third-year tight end put up a respectable 10.4 PPR points on the road in Cincinnati, against a Bengals defense with a tight end aFPA of 6.0, the fourth-best against in the NFL.
Tyrod Taylor’s weapons are limited, though Jordan Matthews could return from thumb surgery this week. Clay is still out and rookie Zay Jones has yet to find his footing, averaging 2.3 PPR points per game. Tampa Bay’s defense is playing well, allowing an aFPA of 9.2 to tight ends this season, but there’s enough opportunity here for O’Leary to be a worthy streamer.
Other streamable tight ends this week: Antonio Gates, Chargers vs. Broncos (25% owned), Zach Miller, Bears vs. Panthers (24% owned).
Defenses
Tennessee Titans, at Browns (35% owned)
The Browns can’t seem to make a coherent decision at quarterback, going back to DeShone Kizer one week after benching him for Kevin Hogan. No matter who Hue Jackson tabs as his starting quarterback, the Titans will be a popular streamer this week. They do struggle against No. 1 wide receivers, but they’ll get a respite in Cleveland on Sunday. The Titans are favored by nearly a touchdown in this game.
Buffalo Bills vs. Buccaneers (36% owned)
Fresh off a bye week, Buffalo’s defense should be well rested and ready to take on a Tampa Bay offense that could be without its starting quarterback. Jameis Winston is questionable after suffering a right shoulder sprain last week. If he’s out, Ryan Fitzpatrick will start in his place. Even if Winston plays, though, the surprising Bills are a strong stream play in Week 7. They’re undefeated at home this season, and own a road win over the Falcons. This should be a spot where they can get after the quarterback and, at the very least, put up solid fantasy numbers.
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New York Jets at Dolphins (8% owned)
The Jets have been a ballhawking group of late, producing six takeaways in their last three games. Even after an impressive come-from-behind win in Atlanta last week, Miami’s offense isn’t exactly scaring anyone off the field. Jay Cutler has been his typical, inefficient, reckless self, throwing four interceptions against five touchdowns. The Jets are the lowest-priority add of the three defenses listed here, but htey can help you out if someone beats you to the Titans and Bills.
