All the sudden, this waiver period, it seemed a little bit like the delicious glimmer of opportunity, of poetic possibilities, swept fantasy football managers into a bit of sensationalism about this season again. Indeed, there was plenty to be excited about, if you chose to ignore some of the violence that freed up the depth chart slots. I mean, really: A little bit of Omar Cooper Jr., here, a little bit of Jordyn Tyson there. Didn’t get them? You probably got Jaylin Noel. Or Treylon Burks/Antonio Williams. Maybe someone in your league dropped Chris Godwin and you snatched him back up before Baker Mayfield starts for the Bucs on Sunday. Corey Kiner, Samaje Perine, Tyrone Tracy—how’re those for three names you might have tossed to the end of your bench in PPR leagues for receiving production out of the backfield slots? Add in familiar names circling back to fantasy relevancy again—Kyle Pitts, Michael Mayer, C.J. Stroud—and we’ve got ourselves a little chaotic party. And we all know chaos is a ladder. If you’re here, you’re a climber. And week after week after bloody, glorious week, we’ve got a win to summit.
Happy Fantasy Friday once again—hopefully you stuck & moved on your lineup construction and in all other competitive endeavors this past week. I’m no prisoner of the moment, but the Week 7 waiver period of this season may be one we look back on as a fulcrum for championship-winning lineups. There were that many guys to be excited about. How to sort through it all, though? Of course—I’m here with the Five Lists of Five: Week 7 edition. The war mind edition.
For the (somehow) newly-ordained: Soundbite-length blurbs with advanced analysis on my favorite plays of the week. We begin now with my Top five streamer plays for fantasy football Week 7. Here are my other offerings in this edition:
- Top five must-start RBs for fantasy football Week 7
- Top five must-start WRs for fantasy football Week 7
- Top five sleepers and upside plays for fantasy football Week 7
- Top five FLEX plays for fantasy football Week 7
All data provided by Fantasy Points Data Suite 2.0, unless otherwise noted.
Fantasy football Week 7: Top five streamer plays
C.J. Stroud, HOU (vs. Giants)
C.J. Stroud is officially backish, and damned near all-the-way back. He’s thrown for 920 yards and six touchdowns over his last three games. Now he gets a defense whose increasingly aggressive pass rush plays into his sharpest work. The Giants send five or more rushers on 42.0% of dropbacks; Stroud has punished extra rushers for 8.8 yards per attempt, three touchdowns, and no interceptions across 56 dropbacks; he’s also, more impressively, escaped them without a sack.
Houston tackle Blake Fisher missed both practices through Thursday with a thumb injury, leaving his availability in the air. The Giants defense has managed only one sack on 123 dropbacks rushing four or fewer, however, and failed to sack Tyler Shough despite repeatedly sending extra rushers last week against the Saints. I’m starting Stroud, who has repeatedly beaten that aggressive approach while Houston has given him at least 35 dropbacks in five of six games.
Cleveland Browns D/ST (at Titans)
The Browns have recorded at least three sacks and one takeaway in five consecutive games, and just dragged their struggling offense through another narrow victory last week. Cam Ward’s had a miserable season on the whole, and has chucked up an interception in four straight. He completed 11 of 22 passes for 102 yards in the Titans’ first miraculous win against the Colts; Tennessee reached 26 points with help from a blocked-punt touchdown and short fields. The offense hardly did much.
Ward has taken only ten sacks through six games, but Cleveland’s pass rush is a different animal. Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson has fallen back to earth after a surprisingly-productive start to the season. He often leaves ugly field position for his own defense. Still, we’re fine accepting that risk against Tennessee’s stunted passing offense.
New York Jets D/ST (vs. Dolphins)
Malik Willis has taken 14 sacks in five games, and lost a fumble in each of his last three. He looks as bad a rusher as he does miscast a franchise quarterback. Now he gets the Jets, who blitz on 31.5% of dropbacks. Willis owns a miserable 61.5 rating against blitzes to his name this season. The Jets have forced ten fumbles, and rookie edge rusher David Bailey has collected a beastly five sacks.
The Jets admittedly amassed eight of its 17 sacks against Cleveland and failed to sack New England, so the pass rush has fluctuated considerably week-to-week. Miami can also attack on the ground after rushing for 217 yards before its bye. Jets edge rusher Joseph Ossai missed Wednesday and Thursday with an ankle injury. I’m streaming this unit for the matchup against a usually-lifeless Willis-led passing game.
Chris Boswell, PIT (vs. Saints [Paris])
I’m all over the Steelers this week on these lists, down to the cleats of their kicker! Chris Boswell buried field goals from 52 and 58 yards during last week’s comeback, finishing four of five in total. The Steelers have attempted at least two field goals in every game; New Orleans has allowed multiple successful kicks in three of its last four. Lots of variance in kicker stats, but lots to like, here.
Pittsburgh can advance against a Saints defense conceding a league-high 116.8 rushing yards per game to backs, while Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers averages 38.8 passing attempts. Better rushing could help Pittsburgh finish more possessions with touchdowns, although the Steelers have repeatedly reached for Boswell when drives stall. He has made 13 of 17 attempts this season, and the Paris forecast calls for rain.
Rashod Bateman, BAL (vs. Bengals)
Rashod Bateman caught five of six targets for 62 yards with Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley in Week 5, leading the team in receiving yardage. Bateman caught three passes for 38 yards on the tying drive, helping Huntley drag Baltimore into overtime. After last week’s shoulder injury, he practiced fully Thursday, and seems to be in line to go to work on Sunday in this potential AFC North shootout.
Bateman’s caught 16 of 22 targets for 233 yards this season, good for 10.6 yards per target. Cincinnati has allowed outside receivers just 5.3 yards per target, however, and Baltimore has targeted Bateman on only 15% of routes. But Bateman has shown he can command important throws from Huntley. His own return to full practice strengthens the case for another useful PPR afternoon.
