Although we rely on big-name players to guide our fantasy football teams to victory, knowing how to locate the sleepers in a given week could be what pushes your team over the edge. With Week 7 of the NFL and fantasy football season on the horizon, here are some sleepers to keep in mind when setting your lineups.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Quarterbacks
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
While it’s not pretty, Justin Fields has been better than we’ve likely been giving him credit in recent weeks. Fields rushed for a season-high 88 yards on 12 attempts which is the equivalent of over two passing touchdowns.
It’s why Konami Code QBs are so darn valuable. Sure, he only had 190 yards and a TD on 27 passing attempts last week. But believe it or not, Fields is ninth in fantasy points per dropback in 2022.
He scored 17+ PPR in back-to-back weeks while averaging 62 rushing yards a game. Fields did aggravate his shoulder, but with an extended week, he should be good to go against the Patriots on Monday Night Football. He’s a top fantasy football sleeper at QB for Week 7.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t have the Giants sitting at 5-1 though six weeks on my pre-season bingo card be here we are. Daniel Jones hasn’t been flashy, but he’s been good enough to be effective. He was once again against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, completing 19 of his 27 pass attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
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Although he has only cracked 17+ points in two games, the matchup against the Jaguars is in the middle of the road, sitting 15th in points allowed (15.97). What aids Jones is his rushing upside, with a 47.5 rushing-yard average in his last four, even if you include his six yards on Sunday. Although he’s more like Danny Two-Nickles than Danny Dimes, he’s worth considering as a Week 7 sleeper for fantasy football.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Running Backs
Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens
With J.K. Dobbins’ knee “tightening” up in Week 6, Kenyan Drake took over, rushing 10 times for 119 yards and a touchdown on 58% of the snaps. He even ran 18 routes against the Giants but only had one reception for eight yards on two targets. Still, it was enough for him to finish as the RB6 in PPR (19.7 PPR).
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While Gus Edwards could return, Baltimore would be wise to ease him in as he is coming off an ACL tear, just like Dobbins. If Dobbins is out or limited, Drake could have another productive day against a Browns defense that was obliterated by Rhamondre Stevenson and has leaked yardage all season long.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Wide Receivers
Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants
You don’t record over 1,300 receiving yards and over 100 rushing yards in a season by accident. There is a reason the now 5-1 Giants drafted playmaking Wan’Dale Robinson in the second round, and there is reason to believe his explosion is coming.
Making his return from injury, Robinson only played on 23% of the snaps but saw 11 of his 13 snaps in 11-personnel, suggesting Brian Daboll felt confident to run him as a top-two option. He made the most of his touches as well, catching three of four targets for 37 yards with a TD.
With Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and Kenny Golladay (knee/relevancy) out, plus Sterling Sheppard on season-ending IR, Robinson has every chance in the world to become the No. 1 option for Daniel Jones. With upcoming games against the Jaguars, Seahawks, Texans, and Lions, Robinson is not only a Week 7 sleeper but someone I would consider prioritizing in a rather weak round of waiver wire claims.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
I’m not sure why, but the fantasy community has yet to latch on to Alec Pierce, and it confuses me. He’s the Rodney Dangerfield of rookies, getting no respect at all. He should be a weekly flex option, not a sleeper. But when I look at the hype surrounding him, plus his rostership status sitting at 25%, it’s my job to help correct that.
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Pierce has seen five or more targets in every game since Week 2 and is the WR24 in PPR scoring since Week 3 (12.7 PPR/game). Sure, Parris Campbell did have 13 targets, but Pierce is the No. 2 option for Matt Ryan and the Colts. He had 80-plus yards in consecutive games leading to Week 6 and caught three of his seven targets for 49 yards, including the game-winning 32-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left on the clock. Pierce is likely a name to stay on the sleeper list for fantasy for a while until he gets the respect he servers.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Tight Ends
Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants
Rookie tight ends rarely become fantasy commodities, but Daniel Bellinger is making a case to buck that trend. Playing on 93% of the snaps in Week 6, Bellinger saw an 18.5% target share which led the team, catching all five targets for 38-yards and a score. He was out there on 100% of the third downs for the Giants and now has touchdowns in back-to-back games.
While I’d love more volume, Bellinger is a name to keep an eye on as a sleeper in Week 7, especially if you have a TE on a bye. He has a decent upcoming schedule, with his next three matchups all coming against teams 18th or higher in DVOA vs. the position.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
By hook or by crook, Evan Engram is putting together a quietly good stretch of football. After a six of ten for 69-yard day last week, Engram was more efficient against Indy, catching five of six targets for 40 yards. While 9.0 PPR isn’t a ton for TEs, that was enough to finish inside the top 15 on the week.
It’s hard to turn down a 27.5% target share, especially from a player we know can be dangerous in open space and is playing in an offense that loves its tight ends and has some injury issues at WR. Engram also has a cake-walk couple of upcoming games against the Giants and Raiders, who sit 25th and 23rd in DVOA, respectively.