Fantasy Football Stars Who Will Struggle in Week 7: Josh Allen, Jordan Mason, Amari Cooper, Davante Adams and Tucker Kraft
One weekly starter at each offensive fantasy football position who will struggle to excel in Week 7.
Last week’s choices for fantasy stars who would struggle didn’t really play out in the spirit of the exercise: two guys played well, and the other two dealt with injuries that kept them out for most or all of their game:
- Josh Allen only had 215 passing yards against the Jets, but his rushing production will always bump up his fantasy score (18 yards and a touchdown), and he threw for two TDs, making for a good fantasy week.
- Jonathan Taylor ended up missing Week 6. His injury status was part of the equation, but I was expecting him to play at the time of the writing. That was a bad assumption, apparently, as he’ll also miss Week 7.
- Garrett Wilson also excelled in the Bills/Jets matchup, hauling in eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in his last game before Davante Adams joined the group.
- Dallas Goedert played and didn’t have a catch, but he also suffered an injury during the game and will miss some time.
Let’s do it again and highlight a fantasy star at each position who is going to struggle in Week 7. Star can be a subjective term, but this week’s group is fairly glittery.
Quarterback
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans
Why? Why am I doing this again? I don’t actually think Allen is going to have a bad game (I didn’t predict that last week either), but he is facing the team that has allowed the least passing yards and yards per attempt this season.
Allen has a new receiver (we’ll get to him below), and that is leading many to expect a shift in the passing game right away, reaching higher highs. Amari Cooper probably won’t play a full complement of snaps in his first game, and any plays called specifically to force him the ball might throw things off as much as they help.
The matchup is the biggest thing here. Tennessee has been prolific stopping the pass, and Allen hasn’t been great throwing the ball this year, averaging less than 200 passing yards per game.
Running is always part of the equation with Allen, and he’s going to have at least a decent fantasy day because of that production on the ground. Allen has averaged about 30 yards and half a touchdown with his legs, adding six points per week to his score; that takes a “yuck” performance and turns it into something manageable.
Week 7 looks more like a moderate game for the Buffalo QB. He won’t tank, as that almost never happens, but don’t be surprised if Allen finishes outside the top 10 quarterbacks.
Running Back
Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Mason wasn’t a star before the season, but his spot was: the San Francisco RB1 position. Christian McCaffrey was drafted first overall in most fantasy leagues, and his surprising absence in Week 1 followed by an extended trip to the IR has left fantasy owners scrambling if they weren’t lucky enough to grab Mason.
Mason suffered an injury last week, but he is off the injury report and expected to play in Week 8. There’s always a chance that he could tweak that injury again, bringing a little extra risk. The matchup is also against the running back this week.
The Chiefs had one of the best defenses in football last year, a group that drove them toward the Super Bowl along with some “Mahomes Magic” sprinkled on top. Their pass defense was smothering; KC allowed the third-least yards per pass attempt. The run defense was worse than average in yards per rush allowed, though.
Those numbers have flipped through the first month-and-a-half of 2024: Kansas City is near the middle as a pass defense, and they have allowed the fourth-least yards per carry. Those splits point toward San Francisco having a better day passing than they will on the ground.
Mason hasn’t done much in the passing game, averaging close to one catch and 12.5 yards per game without scoring. If the team struggles to run the ball, there isn’t another avenue toward expected production.
It’s tough to bench the San Fran running back given how effective he’s been on the ground. This might be one of the very few weeks that Mason doesn’t excel, though, and it’s worth checking to see what your options are at running back, especially with just Chicago and Dallas on bye.
Wide Receiver
Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans
Davante Adams, New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers
I'm throwing in a bonus here because these two have an obvious connection: They were both traded to their new teams this week and will be making their debuts. That’s not where the similarities end, though, as fantasy owners are hoping both will break out in their new homes.
They also both have tough matchups in Week 7, giving reason to expect modest results right away. I already talked about Allen against the Titans, so I won’t repeat every point, but the Titans have also given up the third-least fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
The Steelers are closer to the middle in yards per pass attempt allowed, but they are in the top 10 in fantasy points per game allowed to receivers. Pittsburgh is better than average in both passing touchdowns allowed and interceptions; they are right in the middle in sacks.
This is more about new players in new places. Expectations should be tempered with these two wide receivers even though we’ve seen their superstar highs in the past. Without much time to prepare with their new squads and with the matchups not in their favor, both Cooper and Adams should be played with caution.
Tight End
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers vs. Houston Texans
Kraft isn’t a star in terms of sustained production over time, but he had big performances in Weeks 4 and 5 that made fantasy owners dream of a new weekly starter. Those may also have been the two best games of his short career, as Kraft’s rookie season was mostly middling or worse.
Regardless of his status among the hierarchy, Houston has had one of the best defensive units of 2024. They have allowed the fourth-least yards per pass attempt and the third-least fantasy points per game to tight ends. The Texans’ D has been their best group.
Kraft is likely to have an anonymous Week 7. There’s always the chance of a touchdown, but fantasy owners are overrating Kraft after his two-week outburst.
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