But one player – someone fantasy owners haven’t thought much about since Week 1 – could crash the party the in a big way. Early-week reports out of Dallas have hinted at the possibility of Dez Bryant (foot) playing against the Giants in Week 7, which would be an earlier-than-expected return for arguably the top receiver in the game. With Brandon LaFell (foot) also set to return this week, fantasy owners will have plenty of tough start-sit lineup decisions. Let’s take a look at the full Week 7 WR rankings to identify the sleepers and busts for your seasonal or daily fantasy football lineups.
Week 7 fantasy football rankings:Quarterbacks | Running backs | Tight ends | Defenses | Kickers
Week 7 Fantasy Football WR rankings
As noted, six WR1/WR2s (Alshon Jeffery, A.J. Green, Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Randall Cobb, James Jones) are out of action this week because of byes. That opens the door for a few new names in the top 10, including Larry Fitzgerald (No. 4), who has a great matchup against Baltimore, and Brandon Marshall (No. 6), who’s posted four straight 100-yard games.
There’s also a new No. 1 this week, with DeAndre Hopkins taking over the top spot thanks to his endless stream of targets. Julio Jones (No. 2) and Odell Beckhamm Jr. (3) both showed they’re healthy enough to remain in the top five, and Calvin Johnson (5) finally looked like “Megatron” again last week. We’re giving Antonio Brown (9) the benefit of the doubt because of his matchup against a Chiefs’ defense allowing the most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to WRs, and if Ben Roethlisberger (knee) returns, Brown will move up even higher.
Get your full fantasy football Week 7 WR rankings here.
Keenan Allen, Jeremy Maclin, Allen Robinson, Brandon LaFell, Dez Bryant injury updates
When Bryant injured his foot in Week 1, the original prognosis was that he could be out for up to 12 weeks. But here we are, in Week 7, and Bryant is doing on-field rehab and will “test his foot” on Wednesday and Thursday. Cowboys’ officials seem much more optimistic than others about Bryant’s availability, but with a 2-3 record, it’s possible Dallas will rush Bryant back. Fantasy owners will have a tough time sitting Bryant if he’s active, but keep in mind that Matt Cassel will be throwing to him. If Bryant is just out there as a part-time decoy, he won’t be worth using this week. We’re not expecting him back, which is why Terrance Williams (No. 39) is the only Cowboys’ WR we have ranked this week.
Brandon LaFell, who’s yet to play this year because of a foot injury, says he is ready to practice and is hoping to play against the Jets. LaFell was a key cog in the Pats offense last year, posting 953 yards and seven TDs in the regular season and another 119 yards and two TDs in the playoffs. LaFell will be third in the pecking order for targets behind Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, but he still has plenty of upside. We’re taking the cautious approach with him this week, ranking 42nd, but he’ll rise in a hurry.
Keenan Allen (hip) should be “good to go” for Week 7, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It seems early to make a statement like that, but it’s still a positive sign for Allen. He’s our No. 10 WR after posting his fourth double-digit-target game of the season in Week 6.
Allen Robinson (leg) is believed to have a bone bruise after X-rays on his leg came back negative. At this point, it’s believed Robinson will be ready for Sunday’s early start in London against the Bills, but he’ll have to get in some practice sessions for us to be more confident. He’s our No. 13 WR; if he’s out, expect Allen Hurns (No. 24) to jump up the rankings.
Jeremy Maclin left Week 6’s game early and will need to pass through the league’s concussion protocol before getting cleared to play against the Steelers. Pittsburgh was just torched through the air by John Brown and the Cardinals, so Maclin (No. 22) has plenty of upside if he’s active. If he’s out, look for Albert Wilson (NR) and Chris Conley (NR) to get more targets.
Fantasy WR sleepers for Week 7
Martavis Bryant (No. 27) announced his return in a big way in Week 6, posting 137 yards and two TDs. This week, he gets the Chiefs’ woeful pass defense, so as long as Landry Jones can get him the ball, Bryant should have another nice showing.
Stefon Diggs (No. 32) and Jamison Crowder (33) should continue their quietly impressive rookie seasons. Diggs faces the Lions (ninth-most FPPG allowed to WRs) while Crowder gets the Bucs (seventh-most).
Going a little deeper, Ted Ginn Jr. (No. 34) should get back on track against Philadelphia’s porous secondary, and Robert Woods (41) should be the Bills No. 1 WR with both Percy Harvin (hip) and Sammy Watkins (ankle) ailing.
Get more fantasy football sleepers and busts for Week 7 here.
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