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Damien Harris has been an aggressive, excellent runner for the Patriots. He had a 7.4-percent (No. 9 among qualified running backs) Breakaway Run Rate entering Week 7, and ripped off 106 rush yards on 14 carries in Week 7. Meanwhile, the Chargers have allowed over 100 yards rushing to opponents every week except Week 4 this season. The Patriots use several different backs, but Harris is the primary downhill runner, seeing at least 14 carries the last three weeks and scoring in all three games.

You may be thinking of starting Ben Roethlisberger as a streamer in case you have Lamar Jackson or Derek Carr on bye. Don’t. Despite good WRs and a 90.7-percent (No. 1 among QBs entering Week 7) Protection Rate, Roethlisberger has average 13.2 (No. 29 entering Week 7) Fantasy Points Per Game. He also ranked No. 1 among QBs entering Week 7 for Danger Plays and Interceptable Passes.

Kenny Gainwell has appeared in this column multiple times this season. Miles Sanders exited the game early, and while Boston Scott should also see increased touches, Gainwell is the Eagles back to roster. The Eagles offense has issues, but I am excited to see Gainwell in a more significant role. He is a good pass catcher already and could spark a team that badly needs one. In deeper formats, consider adding Scott as well. 

Allen Lazard is an excellent streamer this week. The Packers will need to keep up with the high-powered Arizona Cardinals, and Davante Adams should miss the game. Lazard should be Aaron Rodger’s preferred target. He caught five passes this past week and found the end zone. 

Just six games into his rookie season, Kyle Pitts’ 10.7 Yards Per Target is No. 2 among all players this season, not just tight ends, with at least 40 targets. His 15.2 Yards Per Reception is No. 4, again, among all players with at least 30 catches on the year. Not much to do now. If you already have him on your dynasty roster, you are set for a long time. If you don’t, sorry, it’s too late.

Acquire Damien Harris in both dynasty and redraft. His lack of playing time and non-involvement in the passing game make him more affordable than his talent says he should be. He’s a good, steady back, one you can count as an RB2 or Flex most weeks. In redraft, be cautious though, because the Patriots have a tough upcoming schedule; facing the Bills twice plus the Chargers, Browns, and Titans in the weeks to come.

The New Orleans Saints come in with a solid defense and an offense beginning to find its legs. Alvin Kamara dominates the teams offensive production, while Jameis Winston struggles to produce QB1 numbers consistently.

With Geno Smith at the helm, the Seahawks offensive production will go down, but their rushing attempts will go up. Alex Collins thrived in his workhorse roll last week, and will see one again tonight. Geno Smith limits the outlook of all pass catchers.

For the Mark Andrews fantasy manager or TE streamer, Ricky Seals-Jones has 14 targts the past two games with Logan Thomas out. The former is now a full-time player, running 34-plus routes in each of the past two contests as well. This week, the Football Team play the Packers, ranking 14th-worst in Pass DVOA. Let’s see if Seals-Jones and the Football Team can make a name for themselves this week.

With Chris Carson on IR, Alex Collins paced the Seahawks backfield with 20 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown. He hauled in his lone target for –3 yards as well. Explaining Collins’ 59.4% snap share is the fact he missed part of the final quarter and all of overtime. This week, the Seahawks’ bellcow plays against the Saints. The defense hasn’t allowed 100 rushing yards in a game thus far. But, they have allowed three rushing touchdowns in their past two games.

Hopefully, Infirmary readers have followed the sage advice of the report and have assembled roster depth that would rival The Avengers (That super hero roster is deeeeep!). It will be needed, as this week seven isn’t that different from post-Thanos-finger-snap in the movies; between the BYES and the injuries, it feels like half of the fantasy football world is missing. It isn’t quite that bad, however. Let’s get into it… Infirmary Assemble!

You can almost set your watch to Lamar Jackson generating more than 300 yards per game because he has done it in five out of six games this year. He’s doing it through the air (281.0 passing yards per game) and on the ground (65.3 rushing yards per game).While last week’s shocking blowout victory over the Chargers stifled his production, I believe that a divisional matchup with the Bengals will highlight premier Lamar Jackson.

The Cordarrelle Patterson experience is just getting started, so strap in and go hard on this soft line. Patterson averaged 11.25 Total Touches Week 5. Enter Week 6, where his Total Touches spiked to 23. If this usage continues, then he will smash with his 7.1 Yards Per Touch (No. 1 among qualified RB’s) and Underdog Fantasy will have to set his line closer to 90 yards for Week 7.

DeAndre Hopkins certainly deserves a mention given his team’s massive team total (32.25) against his former team. Hopkins has yet to put up a 100-yard game with a touchdown but that is well within his range of outcomes. Kyler Murray’s proclivity to spread the ball around has rightfully scared off some fantasy gamers from paying up for Hopkins. However, he edges out his teammates with a 20.8-percent Target Share and also separates himself with his touchdown production.

Patrick Mahomes posted his highest yardage total in Week 6 and looks to pick up where he left off for Week 7. Of the highest-totaled Week 7 games, the Chiefs/Titans game has the closest Vegas point spread (5.5). The game itself has the highest game total (57.5) and seems the likeliest for a shootout (or whatever it’s called when you’re having to keep up with Derrick Henry).

Joe Burrow finished Week 6 as the QB8 in fantasy, his best outing of 2021. The sophomore has now delivered fantasy managers three consecutive 20-plus point performances. Thus far, the 4-2 Bengals have enjoyed positive Game Script (+1.07, No. 9), averaging a low 29.2 Team Pass Attempts Per Game (No. 29). However, Burrow has been efficient. Through six games, he owns a True Completion Percentage of 75-percent (No. 4) and is delivering 8.9 Yards Per Attempt (No. 4). Burrow rises two spots to QB9 to join the PlayerProfiler’s QB dynasty rankings Top 10.

Nyheim Hines played a season low 23.4-percent of snaps in the Colts’ Week 6 rout of the Texans. Over the past three weeks, he has earned just 10 carries and five targets. With Jonathan Taylor dominating backfield touches and trade candidate Marlon Mack recently getting five carries per week, Hines’ usage has been limited. He’s produced a total of 6.1 points in fantasy football. Best kept on benches until his opportunity metrics improve, Hines’ dynasty value loses 6.41 Lifetime Value points to slip to RB44.

Brandin Cooks remains the top value play of the week, a title he has held since week four. Cooks bounced back last week finishing as the WR18 on the week posting nine receptions for 89  yards on 13 targets. He saw 147 Air Yards last week and regained the league lead in Air Yards Share. At $6,000 on DraftKings, Cooks remains a value and is a recommended play in all formats.

Devonta Smith disappointed in an island game last week, posting only 5.1 fantasy points in what was perceived to be a smash spot against Tampa Bay. Regardless, he still led the Eagles in Air Yards on the week and is the only Eagles receiver to post over 100 Air Yards in a week on the season. Recency bias and matchup makes Smith a great contrarian play this week against a Raiders secondary that has limited fantasy points for receivers. He is the top value play on the week and a must-start in tournament lineups.