Finding the right fantasy football RB sleepers can make a huge impact in Week 7, especially for managers dealing with injuries, bye weeks, difficult matchups or tough start-sit decisions. Aside from the obvious weekly starters, several running back sleepers could be positioned for increased opportunities this week.
Each week, we highlight five running backs who have a path to outperform expectations because of their role, matchup, recent usage or opportunities in their offense. These picks can help season-long fantasy football managers looking for a sleeper or FLEX option, while DraftKings salaries are included for players who are also in good spots to provide DFS value.
Best Fantasy Football RB Sleepers for Week 7
Here are five fantasy football RB sleepers to consider for Week 7. Quick analysis for each running back is below.
- Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants ($4,800)
- Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals ($4,600)
- Sione Vaki, Detroit Lions ($4,300)
- Pierre Strong Jr., Green Bay Packers ($4,300)
- Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals ($4,100)
Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants ($4,800)
Why he’s a Week 7 fantasy football sleeper: The Giants’ backfield is very uncertain after Cam Skattebo ($5,100) went from starter to six snaps and zero carries. Najee Harris started last week but was released this week, so it will be Skattebo, Tracy and Devin Singletary ($4,400) sharing the load this week. Tracy had two total touchdowns and 18.5 FPTS and was successful as both a rusher and receiver. He’s high-risk against the Texans since the situation is unsettled, but he brings good upside for a play under $5,000.
Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals ($4,600)
Why he’s a Week 7 fantasy football sleeper: Perine is a fantasy football sleeper to consider as the Bengals take on the Ravens in a divisional matchup. Perine had a big game with 15.8 FPTS against the Dolphins just before the Week 6 bye, playing more snaps and getting more carries than Chase Brown ($6,600). It’s more of a timeshare than expected, giving Perine good value potential.
Sione Vaki, Detroit Lions ($4,300)
Why he’s a Week 7 fantasy football sleeper: Vaki and the Lions are also returning from a bye week as they host the Packers, who have allowed the fourth-most FPTS to RBs this season. Vaki matched his season-high with six carries in the Lions’ last game against the Cardinals, but he only totaled 11 rushing yards. He has 51 rushing yards on 15 carries and four catches for 52 in his five games this year and is getting enough work to be a value flier play in a high-scoring game environment.
Pierre Strong Jr., Green Bay Packers ($4,300)
Why he’s a Week 7 fantasy football sleeper: On the other side of the matchup, Strong could remain involved for the Packers even though Josh Jacobs ($6,300) could make his season debut. Strong showed his upside as a pass catcher from the backfield, catching five of six targets for 39 yards and adding 28 rushing yards on 11 carries. If Jacobs isn’t ready for a full workload, Strong could mix in, especially as a third-down player.
Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals ($4,100)
Why he’s a Week 7 fantasy football sleeper: Knight and Tyler Allgeier ($5,000) will share the workload in the Cardinals’ backfield in Week 7 after rookie Jeremiyah Love (ankle) was ruled out for a second straight week. Knight only had three carries in his first five games of the season, but in Week 6, he had 15 carries for 80 rushing yards and added two catches for 18 yards. He played 44% of snaps, and he’ll be a great value if he gets a similar workload in Week 7.
Last Week’s Fantasy Football RB Sleeper Results
Here’s how our five fantasy football RB sleeper picks performed last week:
- Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals: 5.8 FPTS
- Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints: 9.0 FPTS
- Kenneth Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3.4 FPTS
- Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears: 14.5 FPTS
- Audric Estime, Cleveland Browns: 7.9 FPTS
Fantasy Football RB Sleepers FAQ
Who are the best fantasy football RB sleepers for Week 7?
Tyrone Tracy Jr., Samaje Perine, Sione Vaki, Pierre Strong Jr. and Bam Knight are five running backs to consider as fantasy football sleepers for Week 7.
What is a fantasy football RB sleeper?
A fantasy football RB sleeper is a running back outside the most obvious weekly starters who has an opportunity to outperform expectations because of factors such as an expanded role, increased targets, injuries, recent usage or a favorable matchup.
Can these RB sleepers also be used in DraftKings DFS lineups?
Some fantasy football RB sleepers can also provide DFS value when their DraftKings salary does not fully reflect their projected role or upside. DraftKings salaries are included above to help identify players who may be useful in both season-long fantasy football and DFS contests.
