Another week, another Fantasy Spotlight. Last week the spotlight was on Brian Hoyer (fourth straight game with 300 or more passing yards), as well as Jimmy Graham (six catches for 89 yards). We now move to week seven in the National Football League and turn on the Fantasy Spotlight once again.
Week Seven Fantasy Spotlight: Things to Watch
Carson Palmer
The Arizona Cardinals got a much needed win Monday night against the New York Jets. Carson Palmer in his first game back from a concussion was good enough to win, throwing for 213 yards and a touchdown. If the Cardinals are to keep the momentum and continue to turn their season around Palmer will need to be even better Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks. The NFC West showdown will go a long way in determining who will finish on top of the division when the season ends. In two games against Seattle last season Palmer threw for 492 yards with four touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Arizona split those games with Seattle en route to a 13-3 record. Week Seven presents a huge potential turning point for the Cardinals, look for Palmer and the rest of his teammates to put forth a big effort in primetime.
Jeremy Hill
So what has happened to Jeremy Hill? The one time touchdown scoring machine has seemingly taken a backseat to Giovani Bernard. During the past two weeks Hill has carried the ball only 17 times for 50 yards with zero touchdowns. If there was every a week for Hill to get back on track, it’s week seven at home against the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland is allowing 118 yards per game on the ground and ranks 21st against opposing fantasy running backs. The Cincinnati Bengals come in with a record of 2-4 and in desperate need of an AFC North win. Look for the Bengals to come out pounding the ball on the ground against the suspect Browns defensive front. For owners of Hill the Fantasy Spotlight will be shining bright in Cincinnati this weekend. If Hill continues to take a backseat to Bernard this week, it will be best to sit him on your bench going forward.
Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson has gone five games to start the season without a 100 yard receiving game. He had six last season. Robinson was highly touted in fantasy drafts this year. It is safe to say the consensus top 20 pick has disappointed. Week seven will tell a lot about the value of Allen Robinson going forward. The Oakland Raiders travel to Jacksonville and bring their 32nd ranked pass defense with them. The game plan for the Jacksonville Jaguars is simple, throw throw throw! With Oakland making their third cross country trip in seven weeks, there is no excuse here for the Jaguars. Fantasy Owners are getting increasingly impatient with the multi talented receiver. It’s put up or shut up time, not only for Robinson, but for the entire Jacksonville organization this week. Look for a double digit reception, multi touchdown game for the man they call “Arob” against the Raiders.
Hunter Henry
There is a changing of the guard in San Diego. 2016 draft pick Hunter Henry has exploded on the scene as a big offensive weapon for the San Diego Chargers. Fan favorite and future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates has seen his numbers drop as Henry continues to flourish. If Henry is still on the waiver wire in your league, you need to pick him up immediately. The rookie tight end has scored in three straight games while catching 13 balls on 19 targets. That trend should continue week seven for Henry against the Atlanta Falcons 31st ranked defense against tight ends. For a game featuring two teams with opposite records, look for a lot of explosiveness and scoring. Philip Rivers has obvious trust in Henry which makes him a must start every week.
Pittsburgh Steelers
All of Steelers Nation held their collective breath last Sunday. In an all too familiar scene, Pittsburgh Steelers fans across the country saw their star quarterback hobbled and hurt. Ben Roethlisberger suffered a torn meniscus in the week six upset loss to the Miami Dolphins. While its always expected Roethlisberger heals up quickly, multiple reports have him being out four-six weeks. So where do the Steelers go from here? Enter Landry Jones. Lets face it, there is plenty of talent at the offensive skill positions for the Steelers to compete. The question is can Landry Jones get them the ball. Jones in limited action last season, including two starts, threw for 513 yards including three touchdowns. Right out of the gate Jones and the Steelers get a huge test against the New England Patriots. The game plan will be to get the ball in the hands of his playmakers. Le’Veon Bell is expected to carry a heavy workload and Jones will need to get the ball to Antonio Brown and be selective in taking shots with deep threat Sammie Coates. With so many fantasy stars in this game, the spotlight will be shining long and bright on Heinz Field at 4:25 eastern standard time Sunday afternoon.
