Let’s break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 7 QB Rankings.
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1. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Played on Thursday
2. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy
SFQB2on
Atlanta has played tougher than expected on defense, but not to a degree that endangers Brock Purdy’s Week 7 outlook. The Falcons sit a mere 17th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs and 10th in actual points per game allowed. Purdy, meanwhile, has proved wildly efficient, ranking second among all QBs in fantasy points over expected per game (behind only Josh Allen).
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow
CINQB3on
Joe Burrow has accounted for multiple TDs in every game since Week 1 on his way to ranking as the QB6 on the season. He’s turned in QB1 performances in each of his past three games played and has his top WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins active together for the sixth time this season. Burrow projects as a high-end QB1 facing a Ravens defense that’s boosted QB points by 7.5%.
4. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love
GBQB4on
Jordan Love finished as QB6 last week, throwing for 276 yards and a TD while adding a rushing score. Green Bay has the third-highest pass rate in the league (65.7%), and Love ranks fifth in passing yards per game (280.7). Now he gets the best possible matchup: Detroit has allowed the most fantasy points to QBs this season. With a 53.5-point total, Love is a strong QB1 play.
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff
DETQB5on
Jared Goff comes off the bye ranking second among QBs in fantasy points per game. He has 12 TDs and zero INTs through five games while averaging 297.0 passing yards per game (third). Green Bay has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points to QBs. But the Lions are implied for 28.3 points in a high-total game, which keeps Goff a QB1.
6. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Played on Thursday
7. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young
CARQB7on
Bryce Young has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. He leads all QBs with 309.8 passing yards per game and ranks fourth in fantasy points per game. He threw for 281 yards and 2 TDs last week, finishing as QB8. Tampa Bay has allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points to QBs, but Carolina’s sixth-highest pass rate (62.6%) keeps his volume safe. Young is a QB1 this week.
8. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud
HOUQB8on
C.J. Stroud sits sixth among QBs in total fantasy points and has finished top-13 in 3 straight. He’s benefited from a pass-leaning Texans offense that ranks eighth in pass rate over expected. Stroud ranks seventh league-wide in pass attempts. He might not need to throw as much this weekend with the Texans favored by 10.5 points over the Giants. Still, the efficiency should be strong against a subpar pass defense. Houston’s 26.5-point implied total is third-highest of the week.
9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott
DALQB9on
Dak Prescott finished last week with the second-most expected points among QBs, but it resulted in a season-low QB19 performance. He’s passed for at least 250 yards in each of the past five games on his way to the sixth-highest passing-yards-per-game mark. Prescott projects as a QB1 in Week 7 against an Eagles defense allowing the eighth-most points to QBs.
10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford
LARQB10on
Matthew Stafford has rebounded from a couple of rough outings to complete 74.7% of his throws and earn a 112.5 passer rating over the past two weeks. Those performances came against poor pass defenses from Buffalo and Arizona, but this week presents another shoddy D. The Raiders seemed to start the season well on that side but now rank just 26th in total DVOA and 23rd against the pass. One factor to watch: Stafford will add some risk if Puka Nacua’s Thursday calf injury keeps him out.
11. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
Kyler Murray
MINQB11on
Kyler Murray is coming off his best game of the season, completing 80% of his passes, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt, and running for 51 yards against the Saints before a Week 6 bye. Now he’ll have his top 3 weapons – Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson – healthy for the first time all season. He gets a Colts defense that ranks 18th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs and will be missing top CB Sauce Gardner.
12. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers
PITQB12on
Aaron Rodgers finished as QB13 last week, going 33/49 for 253 yards and 2 TDs. The volume has been there all season. Pittsburgh has the second-highest pass rate in the league (66.1%), and Rodgers ranks seventh in pass attempts per game (38.8). The Saints have been middle of the road against QBs, allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to the position. Rodgers is a high-end QB2 with enough volume to sneak into QB1 range.
13. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough
NOQB13on
Tyler Shough finished as QB2 last week despite throwing for just 144 yards. Three passing TDs and a rushing TD did the heavy lifting, and that efficiency is unlikely to repeat. His 17.3 rushing yards per game (16th among QBs) give him a floor, but the matchup is tough. The Steelers have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to QBs this season. Treat Shough as a QB2.
14. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes
KCQB14on
Patrick Mahomes ranks as a QB1 through the first six weeks. He’s passing for the seventh-highest adjusted yards per attempt mark on the back of 261.8 yards and 1.8 TDs per game, both also ranking among the top 12. But he hasn’t faced a passing defense as successful as the Seahawks, who are allowing the fewest passing yards. Mahomes projects as a QB2 in Week 7, especially with WR Rashee Rice looking unlikely to play.
15. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson
BALQB15on
Lamar Jackson is expected to return from his ankle injury after missing the past two weeks. He ranks as the QB8 this season despite the second-fewest rushing points per game of his career. His 10.9 adjusted yards per attempt leads all QBs and keeps him projected as a fringe QB1 in a Week 7 matchup against the Bengals, as his ankle likely limits his rushing upside.
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Jackson’s rank will rise if he’s confirmed as the starter. Check our Week 7 QB rankings for updated changes into Sunday.
16. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix
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Bo Nix’s only top-12 fantasy finish came in Week 3, when he ranked QB11. Since then, he’s finished QB19, QB27, and QB29. At least Sunday brings a favorable matchup against an Arizona defense that ranks 30th in pass defense DVOA and 29th in pressure rate. That gives Nix some bounce-back potential, although his recent struggles keep him outside of QB1 range.
17. Geno Smith, New York Jets
Geno Smith
NYJQB17on
Since finishing as the QB3 vs. the Lions, Geno Smith has tallied weekly finishes at QB31, QB24, and QB18. Sunday turns up a Dolphins team fresh off a bye and a unit that sits in the middle of the league in adjusted fantasy points allowed. Even with Adonai Mitchell back from his finger injury, Smith will remain a QB2 option.
18. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson
CLEQB18on
Deshaun Watson comes off two straight finishes outside the top 18 fantasy QBs to face a deceptive Tennessee matchup. The Titans haven’t been good on pass defense — 29th in DVOA — but they’ve limited QB scoring (20th in adjusted fantasy points allowed). That’s mainly because they’ve proved equally weak against the run and can’t score enough points to force opponents into more pass volume. Cleveland arrives just 26th in pass attempts per game and expects to get Quinshon Judkins back from an ankle sprain.
19. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins
LVRQB19on
Kirk Cousins’ Week 7 value could come down to his passing volume. That has proved a main driver over his past three weeks. Cousins finished QB5 on a season-high 52 pass attempts in the Week 4 loss to Kansas City. He dipped to QB21 on 28 throws in a lopsided Week 5 loss at New England. Then he rebounded to QB9 on 41 attempts (second-most this season) last week. If you expect Cousins’ volume to climb this week against a favored Rams team, then he presents upside beyond this projection.
20. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield
TBQB20on
Baker Mayfield missed Week 6 with a thumb injury and has played just 3 games this season. He appears to set to return, though Mayfield wasn’t great before the thumb injury. When he has played, he’s fallen well short of expectations, ranking QB32 in fantasy points per game and scoring 4.5 fewer points per game than expected. The matchup is a good one, with Carolina allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to QBs. If he plays, Mayfield is a mid-range QB2 with some risk that the thumb limits him. He’s also likely to be without WR Emeka Egbuka (concussion, foot)
21. J.J. McCarthy, New York Giants
J.J. McCarthy
NYGQB21on
Which J.J. McCarthy will we get this week? The one who threw for 243 yards in less than one quarter last week? Or the one who struggled for the vast majority of last season? The Vegas lines tell us to bet on the latter. The Giants are sporting a week-low 16-point implied total. McCarthy is only in play in 2-QB and superflex leagues.
22. Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles
Tanner McKee
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Tanner McKee finished as the QB22 in his first start this season, producing a TD but passing for the 19th-highest adjusted yards per attempt mark in Week 6. Eagles RBs didn’t do much to support him, totaling just 35 rushing yards for the fewest by any offense in Week 6. With RB Saquon Barkley expected back against a Cowboys defense allowing the fifth-most points to QBs, McKee projects as a QB2.
23. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr.
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Michael Penix Jr.’s return boosted the Atlanta offense, but last week marked the first time in four starts that he finished higher than QB18 in fantasy points. He got fortunate there, throwing 3 TD passes amid just 57.6% completions and 225 yards plus a pair of fumbles. Don’t bet on Penix against the 49ers outside of multi-QB formats.
24. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett
ARIQB24on
Jacoby Brissett draws a Denver unit defense that ranks second behind Seattle in our pass defense power rankings. He’s best left as a superflex option with the Cardinals implied for just 19.6 points.
25. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Malik Willis
MIAQB25on
Malik Willis has combined for only 222 passing yards in his past two outings. A Week 6 bye and the likely return of WR Caleb Douglas (ankle) give some hope for improved passing, but it’s tough to like Sunday’s matchup. The home Jets sit ninth-toughest in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. Plus, the Fins are implied for only 17.25 points.