With six teams on a bye, the fantasy football QB rankings for Week 7 look very different than any of the first six weeks. If you’re struggling to fill the position, you’re not alone, and here is how I’d go about doing it!
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Which QB Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
MORE rankings from Soppe: RB | WR | TE | K | DST
1) Jalen Hurts | PHI (vs. MIA)
2) Patrick Mahomes | KC (vs. LAC)
3) Josh Allen | BUF (at NE)
4) Lamar Jackson | BAL (vs. DET)
5) Tua Tagovailoa | MIA (at PHI)
6) Justin Fields | CHI (vs. LV)
7) Justin Herbert | LAC (at KC)
8) Trevor Lawrence | JAX (at NO)
9) Brock Purdy | SF (at MIN)
10) Sam Howell | WAS (at NYG)
11) Geno Smith | SEA (vs. ARI)
12) Jordan Love | GB (at DEN)
13) Matthew Stafford | LAR (vs. PIT)
14) Russell Wilson | DEN (vs. GB)
15) Joshua Dobbs | ARI (at SEA)
16) Kirk Cousins | MIN (vs. SF)
17) Jared Goff | DET (at BAL)
18) Desmond Ridder | ATL (at TB)
19) Derek Carr | NO (vs. JAX)
20) Baker Mayfield | TB (vs. ATL)
21) Jimmy Garoppolo | LV (at CHI)
22) Kenny Pickett | PIT (at LAR)
23) Tyrod Taylor | NYG (vs. WAS)
24) Mac Jones | NE (vs. BUF)
25) Gardner Minshew II | IND (vs. CLE)
26) PJ Walker | CLE (at IND)
27) Malik Cunningham | NE (vs. BUF)
28) Bailey Zappe | NE (vs. BUF)
29) Jameis Winston | NO (vs. JAX)
30) Aidan O’Connell | LV (at CHI)
31) Daniel Jones | NYG (vs. WAS)
The Top QBs To Start in Week 7
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
I’ve seen enough; Howell is a legit option for fantasy teams streaming the position. He ranks as a top-12 QB for me this week, thanks to an elevated floor (18+ fantasy points in four of his past five) and an advantageous matchup.
In terms of missed tackles per game, the Giants are the fifth-worst defense in the league. Why do I mention that? Follow me here.
- 6’1”, 220 pounds
- Completion percentage over 67%
- Sub-eight-yard aDOT
Did I just describe Brock Purdy or Howell? Trick question, both! As a chain mover, Purdy cruised to 20 fantasy points against these Giants a month ago (25 of 37 for 310 yards and two touchdowns), something that is very much within the range of outcomes for Howell in this spot.
Add in the fact that this game will likely be more competitive than Purdy’s 18-point win and that Howell is pacing near 300 rushing yards — you’re looking at the answer to your Week 7 QB issues if you’re dealing with injury/bye. Speaking of Purdy…
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
The Cleveland Browns are going to make a lot of quarterbacks look awfully average this season. That’s just a fact, and it doesn’t help when you lose two of your top playmakers during the game.
Purdy had the 49ers scoring 30 points with regularity prior to the Week 6 dud, and I’ll back that sample size over the four-quarter disaster that was Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings allow the third-highest passer rating to opposing QBs this season and are especially vulnerable to the Purdy “YAC experience,” with their league-leading 48.5% blitz rate.
The lack of rushing ability (11 yards since rushing for 20 in Week 1) scares me when it comes to discussing his long-term floor, but for Week 6, I have zero hesitation in labeling him as a top-10 QB.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The former Lion has just one multi-touchdown pass game this season and has completed no more than 21 passes in three of his past four contests.
His lack of versatility (his last 10-yard rush came in the 2021 NFC Championship game) makes him a tough sell in this era of football, and yet, I’m here to tell you that he’s a fine streaming option and even worth a look in DFS tournaments for those looking to build a contrarian lineup.
You know how, during interviews, you’re supposed to spin a strength into a pseudo-weakness when asked where you could improve? Well, that’s kind of the situation we have in Pittsburgh these days. The Steelers are a top-five defense in both blitz and pressure rate, a statistic that you’d expect me to present in a bear-ish Stafford case, but let’s think this one through.
By applying consistent heat, the Steelers are forcing quick reads from their opponents, and that often leads them to targeting their top pass catcher. That’s not the end of the world for the defense if they can limit the damage from the star pass catcher — but Pittsburgh can’t.
- Week 1: Brandon Aiyuk — 129 yards and two TDs
- Week 2: Amari Cooper — 7 receptions and 90 yards
- Week 3: Davante Adams — 172 yards and two TDs
- Week 4: Nico Collins — 168 yards and two TDs
- Week 5: Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews combined for a 55.3% target share
Stafford has, arguably, the best pair of target earners at his disposal in the NFL and could ride them to a surprisingly big Week 6. He’s not a must-play for me and carries plenty of risk, but I’m choosing him over Jared Goff, Kirk Cousins, and Russell Wilson this week.