The Outlook - Week 7 (NE-CHI, PIT-NO, SF-ATL, CLE-TEN, IND-MIN)
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It’s Week 7. Everybody is hurt. Nevertheless, we must persist, as we always do because that’s the name of the game. Every NFL player is playing hurt, and while it’s not exactly “swapping deck chairs on the Titanic” with our fantasy football rosters, shuffling and moving pieces around is a baseline expectation at this point in the season. And we’re not even at Halloween yet!
We have to be fluid, though, because the roster we look at and feel good about on Thursday night could look completely different by Saturday. Consider the players who moved on and off the injury report in the short time between the release of Friday’s injury reports and the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. And that’s not even mentioning the craziness surrounding Jalen Hurts and his blood clots, which will keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season.
Things happen, but we must adapt! What worked in Week 4 might look entirely different in Week 7. What we thought was a stable environment is now chaos. But you’re here to make sense of that chaos. Let’s thrive in it, shall we? It’s Week 7, and we’ve got work to do.
We’ve grouped the games here to make it easier to find the matchups you want:
- Block 1: NE-CHI, PIT-NO, SF-ATL, CLE-TEN, IND-MIN
- Block 2: MIA-NYJ, TB-CAR, CIN-BAL, NYG-HOU
- Block 3: DEN-ARI, GB-DET, LAR-LV, KC-SEA, DAL-PHI
“The Outlook” provides details, stats, analysis, recommendations and everything else you need to make your fantasy football decisions. Every fantasy-relevant player on each team will be profiled in this article. We want everyone reading this to bring home championships in their fantasy leagues!
I’m incredibly excited to bring this article to all of you this season and hope you enjoy the ride. If you have any questions, feel free to find me on Bluesky (@ktompkinsii.bsky.social). Tag me in a post with any lineup questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Let’s get into it!
All game and implied point totals listed were compiled via DraftKings Sportsbook on Tuesday for NE-CHI, PIT-NO, SF-ATL, CLE-TEN and IND-MIN.
Teams on bye in Week 6: Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders.
New England Patriots at Chicago Bears- Favorite: Bears –3
- Game Total: 50.5
- Implied Point Total: Bears 26.75, Patriots 23.75
Patriots Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: QB Drake Maye
Patriots RBs
TreVeyon Henderson suffered a high ankle sprain last week. Conventional wisdom suggested that Hendo would miss Week 6. Not so fast! Henderson ended up playing, though he had a reduced workload, with just seven carries for 31 yards. We also assumed Rhamondre Stevenson would handle most of the work. He was on the field more than any other back, playing 60% of snaps and running routes on 46% of dropbacks. He took just 39% of the team’s rushing attempts but still led the backfield in touches, with 14 carries for only 36 yards.
Corey Kiner ended up taking 11 carries himself, starting in the third quarter and playing well into the fourth against the Jets. New England led by less than a touchdown for much of that stretch and never by more than 10 points. These were meaningful carries in a game that remained undecided. Still, it was disappointing that Stevenson couldn’t handle the full workload. One would assume that, with Stevenson and Henderson fully healthy, they would take virtually all the touches available to running backs. However, the Patriots’ decision to add Kiner shows that he could remain an annoying obstacle, taking touches away from both backs even when they’re healthy.
Fantasy Advice: Kiner’s greater-than-anticipated involvement makes this backfield murky and drags Stevenson and Henderson down to flex-level fantasy options against the Bears.
WR A.J. Brown
Designated to return from injured reserve in the middle of last week, Brown made his return to the Patriots’ lineup in Week 6 against the Jets and promptly led New England’s pass-catchers in targets (nine). However, he didn’t look like himself in the Patriots’ win. Brown caught only three balls for 27 yards and ran routes on 97% of Drake Maye’s dropbacks in a game marred by drops and inconsistency. Brown had a gift-wrapped long touchdown catch in the second quarter, but the ball slipped through his hands. Maybe it was because of his lengthy layoff? Either way, with a full week of practice and this game under his belt, Brown will be needed now more than ever with Romeo Doubs hitting IR after hurting his shoulder on his 42-yard touchdown grab in Week 6.
Fantasy Advice: While Brown’s first game back was disappointing, he remains a WR2 option and will be relied upon against the Bears, a below-average team in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers this season.
Patriots WRs
Doubs’ only catch of the game was his 42-yard touchdown. With Brown’s lackluster performance, Demario Douglas picked up the slack, finishing with a team-leading seven receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. Douglas ran the second-most routes on the team, mostly from the slot, and will be relied upon with Doubs on the shelf. On the outside, it’ll be some combination of Efton Chism III (one target, no catches and a 29% route rate) and Kyle Williams (one target, one catch for 12 yards and a 60% route rate) without Doubs for at least the next few games.
Fantasy Advice: Without Doubs, Douglas gets a bump up to a high-end flex play, as Brown will need somebody else to help earn targets. Douglas is the best option for that role. Keep an eye on Chism and Williams, but neither is worth adding outside of super-deep fantasy leagues on a short week.
Bears Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
QB Caleb Williams
Returning to the Bears’ lineup for his first game action since Week 2, Williams was incredibly efficient, completing 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown. Given his previous hamstring ailment, it was expected that he wouldn’t run much in his return, and he managed only three rushing yards. With a solid foundation to build on with his pass-catchers, Williams was a fringe QB1 despite throwing just one touchdown.
Fantasy Advice: Against the Patriots on a short week, Williams is a solid QB1 option with considerable upside on Thursday Night Football.
Bears RBs
Things are trending toward a D’Andre Swift/Roschon Johnson week on a short turnaround for Thursday night against the Patriots. With Kyle Monangai (toe) out for a second straight week, both Swift and Johnson saw plenty of touches, with 20 for Swift and 15 for Johnson. Swift scored twice on the ground and added four receptions for 26 yards, but posted –35 RYOE, dead last among 38 qualifying RBs. Johnson was marginally better and added a rushing score of his own. It’s a fruitful backfield for fantasy production, so at least there’s that!
Fantasy Advice: The split will probably remain similar on a short week, so with Monangai out, Johnson becomes a sneaky flex option. Swift is a fine RB2 for the matchup against New England, which has a middle-of-the-road defense when it comes to preventing fantasy scoring from running backs.
WR Luther Burden III
While Burden III led the Bears across the board with a team-leading eight targets and eight receptions for 95 yards, the main takeaway is a percentage: 44%. That was Burden’s route participation rate in Week 6, a season low by a wide margin. Burden still earned those targets on such limited route volume, but if that continues, it’s a glaring signal to opposing defenses: “Hey, Burden is on the field, so he’s getting the ball!” The fact that Burden still led the team in targets per route run (TPRR) at 44% and first-read target share at 31.6% is remarkable. Let’s hope the route participation issue was just a minor weekly glitch.
Fantasy Advice: For Week 7 at home against the Patriots, Burden is a low-end WR3 with obvious upside in a good matchup. He likely won’t have to match up against New England’s star cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
WR Rome Odunze
Odunze led Chicago in route participation at 98%, but he certainly wasn’t a preferred target for Williams in Week 6. Odunze caught all three targets thrown his way for just 39 yards. More often than not, Odunze is the pass-catcher who gets lost in the shuffle among this group of receivers, making him harder to start in most weeks. Thursday’s matchup against the Patriots is especially difficult, as he should see plenty of the aforementioned Christian Gonzalez.
Fantasy Advice: In Week 7, consider Odunze more of a flex option based on his individual matchup and standing in the offense.
TE Colston Loveland
From the jump, Loveland was targeted on the game’s first pass attempt and then two more times, including on his 14-yard touchdown to close out the opening drive. It wasn’t a massive breakout game, but it was certainly better than anything we’ve seen from Loveland all season, with a 6-65-1 line on an 81% route participation rate. Now that Williams is back in the saddle at quarterback, we’re hoping this offense can take off as we predicted before the season and that this game marked a midseason reset. If you heard a giant exhale last Sunday, it was likely Loveland’s fantasy managers breathing a sigh of relief after the first five weeks of 2026.
Fantasy Advice: I think Loveland is back in the solid TE1 range with Williams back and the offense functioning more like we expected.
Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints- Favorite: Steelers –3.5
- Game Total: 44.5
- Implied Point Total: Steelers 24, Saints 20.5
Steelers Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
QB Aaron Rodgers
I talked up Rodgers last week after he threw multiple touchdown passes in three games heading into Week 6. Make that four now, as Rodgers threw two more touchdown passes and added 253 passing yards. Typically, the Steelers’ passing game has been spread across numerous targets, with Rodgers distributing the ball widely. A whopping 62% of his targets went to two receivers in Week 6, and everyone got some bonus overtime football to add to their totals. It does feel like the Steelers should have thrown for more yards, but we’ll take it. Pittsburgh’s passing game has been solid lately, even with injuries sapping its depth. I mean, somebody named Brandon Smith, who I’m sure is a totally real human being, ran routes on 50% of Rodgers’ dropbacks.
Fantasy Advice: Rodgers is a fringe QB1/QB2 option but is certainly worth starting against the Saints in Week 7. New Orleans is a league-average defense at best against all positions when it comes to fantasy points allowed.
Steelers RBs
Playing his first game since Week 2 after suffering a sprained toe, Rico Dowdle finished with 10 touches in what was a very pass-heavy game script for the Steelers, as Rodgers had 56 dropbacks compared with 21 designed runs. Dowdle turned seven carries and three receptions into 49 yards but ceded plenty of playing time to Jaylen Warren. Warren, who has been playing excellently lately, was a bit quieter in a game script that didn’t call for as much involvement in the run game. Still, Warren tallied 78 yards on 14 carries and two catches.
Fantasy Advice: We still view Warren as a solid RB2 option, but Dowdle taking touches away from him isn’t good for Warren’s upside. Dowdle is a deeper-league flex option, as his standalone role is limited in this clear 1B situation. He isn’t even guaranteed high-value touches outside of receptions.
WR DK Metcalf
It looks like Metcalf was able to cash in some of those air yards at the air yards store in Week 6! Metcalf tallied a team-high 15 targets, turning them into 11 catches for 93 yards as he and Germie Bernard combined for 27 of Pittsburgh’s 43 targets. Metcalf is averaging 8.5 targets per game this season, and while the efficiency hasn’t always been there, the passing game is just good enough to get value out of him and Bernard if he keeps playing as he did in Week 6.
Fantasy Advice: Keep Metcalf locked into your fantasy lineups as a WR3 with much more upside.
WR Germie Bernard
Bernard may literally be the perfect fit for Rodgers at this point in his career. Over the last two games, he has averaged 10 targets, 8.5 receptions and 83.5 receiving yards without Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. Both receivers hit IR last week, so we’re going to get more Bernard over the next few weeks. While a 1.8-yard average depth of target (aDOT) is certainly not ideal, Bernard gets it done with his yards-after-catch ability, piling up 68 yards after the catch as a sort of Deebo Samuel-lite player. We’ll certainly take it, and the rookie’s trajectory is up from here.
Fantasy Advice: Upgrade Bernard to WR3 status, with a little more room to maneuver if he can continue piling up receptions and yardage with the occasional touchdown.
Saints Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Chris Olave
QB Tyler Shough
The Saints attempted just 30 passes in this game, taking a 24-point lead early in the fourth quarter before nearly blowing it. They fumbled and went three-and-out on three consecutive drives. The Giants scored 17 points before New Orleans stiffened on fourth down during their final drive to hold on for the win. Shough didn’t have to force much, keeping many of his throws short and finishing with just 144 yards (4.8 yards per attempt). However, he still threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, delivering a QB2 performance. Keep in mind that Shough is also playing with broken bones in his non-throwing hand, so he’s handing off with his right throwing hand while keeping his left hand out of the way.
Fantasy Advice: Against the Steelers’ defense in Paris, Shough is a low-end QB1 option who could attempt more downfield passes than he did in Week 6. That said, the Steelers are allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. We’ll take a chance on the potential volume here.
Saints RBs
Somewhat surprisingly, the 2026 New Orleans Saints found the personnel to support a run-heavy game script. And then they won a game! Wow!
Still, this backfield is a clear three-way split, with Kendre Miller taking the role of a Jordan Howard-esque two-down grinder whose intentions are obvious to opposing defenses. Yet he totaled 70 yards on 20 carries against the Giants. Alvin Kamara had seven carries of his own, compiling 34 rushing yards and catching two of four targets for 35 yards and a score. The third back, CJ Donaldson, handled six carries for 39 yards. Outside of Kamara as a possible flex option, it’s extremely difficult to find consistent fantasy production in this backfield, especially with three backs sharing the work.
Fantasy Advice: Realistically, we’re only starting Kamara as a PPR reception-based flex option. Miller is likely rostered, but he shouldn’t be started unless you’re really struggling with injuries at running back.
WR Devaughn Vele
Vele continues to run plenty of routes and contribute meaningfully to the Saints’ offense, recording the second-most targets among the pass-catchers in Week 6 with five. Vele caught three balls for 42 yards on a 94% route participation rate, but teammates Chris Olave and Bryce Lance caught touchdowns around him. We’re not quite on Jordyn Tyson watch yet, but consider this a little advance warning for Vele. Even though Tyson will be worked into the offense when he returns, Vele could become more volatile, potentially diminishing his fantasy value later in the season.
Fantasy Advice: Keep Vele in the flex tier among fantasy wide receivers when the Saints head to Paris to play the Steelers in Week 7.
TE Juwan Johnson
Well, there’s nowhere to go but up, right? Johnson had two targets without a catch while running routes on 53% of dropbacks and playing 58% of snaps in Week 6. However, it’s not as though the Saints were passing every which way. They certainly weren’t, with just 30 pass attempts in their win over the Giants. The Saints relied on the run and led for most of the second half, building a 17-point lead in the third quarter before nearly blowing the game late. That said, Johnson is in a precarious position with Noah Fant taking more playing time (58% of snaps and 38% route participation) and rookie Oscar Delp also playing 43% of the snaps. If the Saints use Delp more in the passing game when they aren’t playing with a lead, Johnson really needs to be concerned.
Fantasy Advice: Against the Steelers overseas, Johnson is a low-end TE1, but his fantasy outlook is not trending in the right direction.
San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons- Favorite: 49ers –3
- Game Total: 49.5
- Implied Point Total: 49ers 26.25, Falcons 23.25
49ers Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: QB Brock Purdy, RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle
49ers WRs
Mike Evans’ Achilles soreness really puts a damper on the 49ers’ receiving corps, as he was the duct tape holding it together amid all the injuries at the position. With Evans likely out for Week 7, the spotlight shifts to some unproven players and familiar veterans. Of course, Kittle will be front and center in Purdy’s passing game, but Purdy will have to get used to players like Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing and veteran Brandin Cooks. Maybe even Christian Kirk? The team did just open his practice window to return last week. Regardless of how the 49ers’ availability shakes out against the Falcons in Week 7, it’s going to be tough sledding.
Fantasy Advice: Watkins ran routes on 91% of dropbacks in Week 6 against the Commanders, so could he be a desperation flex play? If I were a betting man, I’d still lean toward Cooks as a flex option among the non-Kittle players if Kirk isn’t activated before Week 7. Even if Purdy somehow makes it all work, it’s difficult to justify starting any of these other wide receivers in typical fantasy leagues.
Falcons Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: RB Bijan Robinson and WR Drake London
TE Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts caught two touchdowns and posted a 5-60 line on a 74% route participation rate in Atlanta’s loss to Chicago in Week 6. Does this mean we should view him differently moving forward? Honestly, I’m not sure. Pitts caught four of his five passes, including both touchdowns, with fewer than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, starting when the Falcons were down 31-7. The plays he made were impressive, including ripping the ball away from a defender and then running another 25 yards down the sideline. It’s nice to see his production tick up, but his involvement in the offense needs to come before the defense starts playing prevent defense with a three-score lead.
Fantasy Advice: Pitts is still a low-end streaming option for Week 7 against the 49ers’ formidable linebackers and secondary. However, it was nice to see the production in garbage time.
Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans- Favorite: Browns –1.5
- Game Total: 37.5
- Implied Point Total: Browns 19.5, Titans 18
Browns Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
Browns RBs
Quinshon Judkins was inactive with an ankle injury. Dylan Sampson is just starting to practice as he works toward returning from IR. Raheim Sanders just hit IR with a hip injury. Things are obviously looking great in Cleveland, with the fourth and fifth running backs, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime, both players who weren’t on the Browns’ roster in Week 1.
At least the roles for McLaughlin (nine carries for 41 yards and four receptions for 14 yards) and Estime (nine carries for 19 yards and a touchdown) were well-defined. McLaughlin took the lead and handled high-value touches, while Estime received most of the short-yardage and goal-line opportunities. We’ll see whether Judkins or Sampson is active against the Titans.
Fantasy Advice: This backfield could change in an instant if Judkins or Sampson returns. Judkins would retain his low-end RB2 value if he plays. If Sampson needs another week, McLaughlin will likely get work alongside Judkins.
Browns WRs
The Browns’ offense stinks, but they somehow beat the Ravens. That’s what happens when you play with your food, Baltimore. Anyway, KC Concepcion led the Browns in targets but posted an uninspiring 4-37 line in what was a disappointing game from the entire offense. Jerry Jeudy caught a 33-yard pass on third down during Cleveland’s final drive to set up the game-winning field goal, but he didn’t do much else, finishing with four catches for 69 yards. Still, there probably weren’t many people starting him. Denzel Boston caught just one ball for 15 yards on five targets. Even Harold Fannin Jr. (one catch for nine yards on two targets) was an afterthought. Frankly, I have no idea how they did it. But they did it.
Fantasy Advice: Games like this show just how volatile this offense can be for fantasy managers. That’s why Concepcion and Boston are flex plays who are difficult to trust beyond that. As for Fannin, it’s difficult to start him right now when he sits behind the wide receivers in the pecking order for quarterback Deshaun Watson. Consider Fannin a streamable TE2, but we don’t have much confidence that Watson will look for him the way Shedeur Sanders did last season.
Titans Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
RB Tony Pollard
Here’s the thing with Pollard: the role is fine. He handled 83% of the team’s rushing attempts, carrying the ball 19 times for 76 yards. That’s good. However, it’s very much an “empty-calorie” role for the Titans, one of the worst offenses in the NFL and a team at severe risk of being scripted out of most games. Perhaps the Titans have a chance to stick around a little longer than usual against the Browns in Week 7, but they ran just 45 plays, posted a Week 6-low –11% PROE and saw Cam Ward throw for only 102 yards as they somehow beat the Indianapolis Colts. That’s not a tactical blueprint for winning games in the National Football League, but I digress.
Fantasy Advice: One area where the Browns have excelled is stopping the run, so Pollard is merely a low-end flex option, with fantasy managers hoping he can find the end zone.
WR Carnell Tate
Welcome to pretty much the only thing that works, or has worked, in the Tennessee offense. With this version of the Titans in 2026, Tate sometimes feels too good for the team. Consistency remains an issue, however. After following up a 9-145 game in Week 4 with a one-catch, six-yard dud against the Texans in Week 5, Tate bounced back with his first NFL touchdown and a solid 6-70 line to lead the Titans in every receiving category. It’s abundantly clear that this passing game operates and flows through Tate, but the offensive environment doesn’t inspire confidence when plugging him into fantasy lineups. I believe he belongs in your lineup most weeks, though.
Fantasy Advice: With Tate leading the way, hopefully he can carry the torch for the Titans now and throughout the rest of the season. I have him as a low-end WR3 or high-end flex play against the Browns, despite one of the lowest game totals on the Week 7 slate.
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings- Favorite: Vikings –5.5
- Game Total: 41.5
- Implied Point Total: Vikings 23.5, Colts 18
Colts Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: RB Jonathan Taylor
WR Josh Downs
It’s been rough for our boy Downs, who got off to a solid start to the season but now finds himself in a three-game funk, with 10 receptions and 103 scoreless yards. Tyler Warren was out against the Titans, so you’d think the targets would have consolidated heavily around Downs and Keenan Allen. While they did to an extent, Allen was far and away the leader. Downs posted a 4-40-0 line on seven targets, but there just isn’t enough production for Daniel Jones to properly support two pass-catchers in Indianapolis. The intent to get Downs involved is certainly there, but he has finished as WR77, WR43 and WR42 over the last three weeks.
Fantasy Advice: Has Downs been outproduced by Allen in Indianapolis? Perhaps he’ll dig his way out of this funk, but I’m downgrading him to a midrange flex option for now while Allen consistently outproduces him.
WR Keenan Allen
Averaging more than 10 targets per game over his last two games, the ageless Allen continues to find ways to earn targets at 34 years old. Allen hasn’t had a route participation rate above 77% in a game this season, but he has a robust 28.7% TPRR, the seventh-best mark among all NFL pass-catchers with at least 80 routes run. It’s what Allen has always done and will continue to do regardless of which team he suits up for. Enjoy the ride.
Fantasy Advice: The passing game and Jones aren’t exactly ideal, and the Vikings’ blitz-happy defense should put the fear of everything holy into Jones. Still, Allen should be able to scrape together some receptions and be a solid flex play in Week 7.
TE Tyler Warren
After missing Week 6 because of a groin injury, Warren has averaged seven targets, five receptions and 42 yards across his five games this season. He had typically been used as a short-area target, but in Week 5 against the Steelers, he extended his average depth of target to 9.9 yards. We’re hoping that continues, as his target-earning floor should improve if he works more in the intermediate part of the field rather than near the line of scrimmage. If Warren plays in Week 7 against the Vikings, he’ll be a locked-in TE1.
Fantasy Advice: Keep tabs on Warren’s groin injury, but he’s a solid TE1 who should be in virtually every fantasy manager’s lineup once he’s cleared to play.
Vikings Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Justin Jefferson
QB Kyler Murray
Murray hasn’t been very relevant for fantasy this season, with his best finish being QB15 two weeks ago before Minnesota’s bye. In that game against the Saints, Murray tallied 51 rushing yards and 229 passing yards with a touchdown. Coming out of the bye, a healthier Murray could come out firing against a vulnerable Colts defense. With the Lions up next, he could reset his season and change perceptions of his 2026 campaign. I definitely think that’s within the range of outcomes, but we can’t wait forever.
Fantasy Advice: Murray feels like a player we’ve been waiting on all season, much like the old lady in Titanic. I’m comfortable using him as a streaming option, especially with signal-callers such as Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence and Jayden Daniels on bye this week.
Vikings RBs
From Weeks 2-5, before the Vikings’ bye, Aaron Jones was a top-12 fantasy running back, averaging 13.6 fantasy points per game. That was better than backs such as Bhayshul Tuten and Ashton Jeanty and matched Bucky Irving’s production. Minnesota has designated Jordan Mason to return from IR, and it’s possible the team always planned for him to return after the bye week following the thumb injury that sidelined him after Week 1.
In terms of the backfield split, if Mason returns, you’re likely looking at the Week 1 arrangement, with Mason and Jones sharing carries while Jones handles almost all the receiving work and Mason takes the high-value touches near the goal line. It’s one of the easier splits to project because it aligns with each back’s strengths and weaknesses. But who knows? Maybe Jones has earned a bigger role with his play. We’ll get more clarity against the Colts in Week 7.
Fantasy Advice: The Colts’ defense has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing backfields, so if Mason is activated for Week 7, consider both Mason and Jones low-end RB2s or high-end flex plays. Jones would be a midrange RB2 if he has the backfield to himself for another week.
WR Jordan Addison
After an up-and-down start to the season, Addison suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him in Week 5. Reportedly, he was close to playing before ultimately sitting out. One would think that a bye week between then and Week 7 would make Addison a lock to play against the Colts. We’ll see, but Addison has a lot of work to do to provide fantasy value for managers who have stashed him on their benches.
With just a 17% TPRR through four healthy games, his target-earning rate needs to improve. Luckily, Carson Wentz and Murray targeted him on more than 29% of their first reads from Weeks 2-4. He’s still a focal point, but the volume needs to catch up, as does his efficiency.
Fantasy Advice: During this stretch of bye weeks, Addison is a flex play with plenty of upside. Playing alongside Jefferson could allow him to see more one-on-one coverage. Against the Colts, who have been average at defending wide receivers this season, Addison should have a good chance to rebuild his fantasy value starting this week.
TE T.J. Hockenson
The 2026 season has been one of contrasts for Hockenson. Consider his 2-11 line on four targets in Week 3, his 13-113 outburst against the Dolphins in Week 4 and then his 1-7 line on a single target against the Saints before he left the game and entered concussion protocol after a hit on the second play. Hockenson should be good to go for Week 7, but he remains a volatile option for fantasy lineups.
Fantasy Advice: Hockenson is merely a streaming option against the Colts, but perhaps he was turning a corner after his big Week 4 performance. I’m not going out of my way to start him, but he has upside similar to Cade Otton, thanks to his route participation. He has run routes on at least 77% of dropbacks in four full games.
This article originally appeared on The Huddle: The Outlook - Week 7 (NE-CHI, PIT-NO, SF-ATL, CLE-TEN, IND-MIN)