As of: Week 7 box scores and game recaps, Wednesday, Oct 28. Check the Wednesday through Friday practice reports before Week 8 lineups lock; Carolina at Green Bay kicks off Thursday night.
Week 7 had some surprises. Two unbeatens cracked on the same Sunday, a Bengals offense that couldn't buy a first-half point poured in 35 straight in the 2nd, and three backs who started the week as question marks walked out of the furnace as league winners for a day. Here's what came out of the mold clean, what cracked, and exactly what to do about each one before Week 8 kicks off Thursday.
The verdictsBUYSELLHOLDADDSTARTSITBUY LOW
Forged: Week 7 breakouts
Tony Pollard, RB, Titans
The line: 25 carries, 129 rushing yards, 3 TDs in a 27-24 loss to Cleveland.
Why it happened: Tyjae Spears and Nick Singleton were both inactive, and Tennessee handed Pollard the entire backfield. He accounted for every Titans touchdown on a day Cam Ward managed just 181 passing yards. Rumors flew this week that the Titans are interested in trading Pollard, so maybe this was a showcase game. Maybe that will continue, or maybe he's on to greener pastures.
Verdict: HOLD and start. He gets Cincinnati in Week 8. The catch is that this ceiling only exists while Spears and Singleton sit. Watch the practice reports, and if someone in your league offers RB1 money off this box score, listen hard.
Ollie Gordon II, RB, Dolphins
The line: 25 carries, 103 rushing yards, 1 TD in a 28-25 win over the Jets.
Why it happened: With De'Von Achane done for the year, Gordon owns this backfield. The 1-yard plunge pushed his touchdown streak to four straight games, and over that stretch he's piled up 69 carries for 332 yards and 4 scores. Jaylen Wright also left Sunday's game with a quad injury, which only tightens Gordon's grip on the work. And yes, that was Miami's first win of the season.
Verdict: BUY. Volume like this doesn't cool off on its own. He's a weekly RB2 with a real floor, starting with New England at home in Week 8.
Cam Skattebo, RB, Giants
The line: 17 carries, 124 rushing yards, 1 TD in a 27-21 overtime win at Houston.
Why it happened: One week after zero touches against the Saints, Skattebo ran like a man with something to prove: a career-high 124 yards, capped by a 42-yard run in overtime. Devin Singletary finished the job with the 30-yard walk-off score.
Verdict: HOLD, don't chase. Zero touches one week and 124 yards the next is the definition of a volatile role. The Giants are on bye in Week 8, so he can't help you this week anyway. Keep him rostered and see who gets the first carries in Week 9.
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Jets
The line: 5 catches on 5 targets, 115 yards, 1 TD in a 28-25 loss to Miami.
Why it happened: The rookie opened the Jets' first offensive snap with a 52-yard catch, added a 60-yarder in the third quarter, and scored from 3 yards out after lining up in the backfield. That's back-to-back 100-yard games with a touchdown, after an ankle injury cost him five games early in the season. Geno Smith is clearly looking his way.
Verdict: ADD and start. He gets Las Vegas at home in Week 8. One caution: five targets is a small sample to hang 115 yards on. The big plays are real, but you want to see the target count climb before you call him a locked-in WR2.
Colston Loveland, TE, Bears
The line: 7 catches on 12 targets, 69 yards, 1 TD in Thursday's 30-24 win over New England.
Why it happened: Twelve targets. That's the number. Tight ends who see double-digit looks don't stay on waiver wires or fantasy benches, and Loveland is now a featured piece of the Chicago passing game, not a touchdown dart.
Verdict: BUY if you can. He should be a top 5 weekly TE. Week 8 is a Monday night trip to Seattle, a defense that just held Kansas City to three points. Start him anyway.
Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals
The line: 22 of 30, 292 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs in a 35-13 win over Baltimore.
Why it happened: Cincinnati was shut out in the first half, then poured in 35 unanswered points. Burrow spread his four scores across Mike Gesicki, Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase and Drew Sample, and Higgins went for 6 catches, 148 yards and a score.
Verdict: START with confidence. Tennessee comes to Cincinnati in Week 8. This is the Burrow who wins weeks.
More breakouts
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, SEA: 9 catches, 150 yards, 1 TD in the 20-3 win over Kansas City. Already elite, just a reminder.
Zay Flowers, WR, BAL: 8 catches on 11 targets, 137 yards, 1 TD, even with Tyler Huntley under center.
Quinshon Judkins, RB, CLE: 17 carries, 96 yards, 2 TDs against Tennessee. Start him at Pittsburgh.
Mason Taylor, TE, NYJ: 5 catches, 62 yards, 2 TDs, the best game of his young career. Nice, but don't bet on the touchdowns repeating.
Cracked: Week 7 busts
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
The line: 19 of 33, 165 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT (58.3 passer rating) in a 20-3 loss at Seattle.
Why it happened: Seattle's defense smothered everything. Three points is the fewest Kansas City has ever scored in a Mahomes start, and the Chiefs never reached the red zone, something that hadn't happened in his first 153 starts. It was also Kansas City's first loss of the season. The reality is that Mahomes has usually looked unimpressive in games the past 3 years. Fantasy managers are starting to catch up. Rumors are flying that KC is desperately looking to bolster the WR room via trade, so maybe that fixes things.
Verdict: HOLD, depending on your other options. He goes to Denver in Week 8, and you're still starting him, just with lower expectations until the offense finds a rhythm again.
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Chiefs
The line: 14 carries, 36 rushing yards, plus 4 catches for 21 yards in a 20-3 loss at Seattle.
Why it happened: The revenge game cracked in the mold. Walker came in leading the NFL with 665 rushing yards during the Chiefs' 5-0 start, but Seattle hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 35 straight games, playoffs included. His old team knew exactly what was coming.
Verdict: SELL. This was the toughest run defense on the schedule, but the first few blowout games were against low quality run defenses. We'll still need to see what version of KW3 we get later in the season, but his best games are past, in my humble opinion!
Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers
The line: 27 of 40, 288 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs in a 29-20 loss at Atlanta.
Why it happened: San Francisco's first loss came with the cupboard nearly bare. Mike Evans (Achilles tendinitis) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring) were inactive, and Christian McCaffrey was hobbled by a thigh injury and managed 39 yards on 7 carries. Purdy had to force throws, and Jessie Bates and rookie Kendal Daniels made him pay.
Verdict: HOLD. The 288 yards say the arm is fine. The 49ers are on bye in Week 8, so line up a streamer now and expect a better Purdy once his receivers get healthy.
Bryce Young, QB, Panthers
The line: 14 of 27, 163 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, a lost fumble and 5 sacks in a 43-13 loss to Tampa Bay.
Why it happened: Young walked in as the NFL's leader in passing yards per game and walked out with three turnovers. Tampa's pass rush lived in the backfield, one strip-sack went back for a defensive touchdown, and right tackle Taylor Moton was carted off with an ankle injury. That last part matters for the weeks ahead.
Verdict: SIT in Week 8, HOLD as a QB2. A Thursday night road game at Green Bay on a short week, with a banged-up line, is not where you want to bet on a bounce-back.
Chase Brown, RB, Bengals
The line: 11 carries, 39 rushing yards, plus 4 catches for 19 yards in a 35-13 win over Baltimore.
Why it happened: His team scored five touchdowns and none of them were his. Samaje Perine got the goal-line carry and punched it in from a yard out, and the coaches clearly trust Perine more near the stripe. Brown hasn't topped 50 rushing yards since Week 3 or scored on the ground since Week 1.
Verdict: SELL. The catches keep his floor alive, but a back who loses goal-line work is a flex, not an RB2. If anyone still values him on name, move him.
Nico Collins, WR, Texans
The line: 2 catches on 5 targets, 6 yards in a 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Why it happened: Deonte Banks shadowed him most of the day and won. C.J. Stroud threw for just 153 yards, though he did toss 2 touchdowns, and Houston fell to 2-5.
Verdict: HOLD. One shadow game doesn't erase his talent. Houston is on bye in Week 8, so you can't start him anyway, and selling now means selling at the bottom.
More busts to watch
Derrick Henry, RB, BAL: 17 carries for 45 yards with Tyler Huntley at quarterback. The offense needs Lamar Jackson back before Henry looks like Henry again. Baltimore visits Buffalo in Week 8.
What to do before Week 8
Four teams are on bye this week: Houston, New Orleans, the Giants and San Francisco. That takes Purdy, Collins, Stroud and Skattebo off the board, so plan your lineups now. Every verdict above, on one sheet:
Player | Week 7 line | Verdict | Week 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
Tony Pollard, RB, TEN | 25-129-3 | HOLD, start | at CIN |
Ollie Gordon II, RB, MIA | 25-103-1 | BUY | vs. NE |
Cam Skattebo, RB, NYG | 17-124-1 | HOLD, don't chase | Bye |
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, NYJ | 5-115-1 on 5 tgt | ADD, start | vs. LV |
Colston Loveland, TE, CHI | 7-69-1 on 12 tgt | BUY | at SEA (Mon) |
Joe Burrow, QB, CIN | 22/30, 292, 4 TD | START | vs. TEN |
Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC | 19/33, 165, 0 TD, 1 INT | HOLD | at DEN |
Kenneth Walker III, RB, KC | 14-36, 4-21 rec | SELL | at DEN |
Brock Purdy, QB, SF | 27/40, 288, 1 TD, 2 INT | HOLD | Bye |
Bryce Young, QB, CAR | 14/27, 163, 1 TD, 2 INT, FUM | SIT, hold as QB2 | at GB (Thu) |
Chase Brown, RB, CIN | 11-39, 4-19 rec | SELL | vs. TEN |
Nico Collins, WR, HOU | 2-6 on 5 tgt | HOLD | Bye |
Start: Ollie Gordon II vs NE, Omar Cooper Jr. vs LV, Joe Burrow vs TEN, Colston Loveland at SEA
Sit: Bryce Young at GB
Buy low: Kenneth Walker III
Sell: Chase Brown
We'll be back Monday with Week 8's Forged & Cracked.
Stats from Week 7 box scores and game recaps (ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports and team sites).