It is so exciting to have real, live NFL football back in our lives. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 7 DraftKings plays.
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READ MORE: Week 7 Streamers
Week 7 DraftKings Plays
Week 6 Recap
It’s always good to be completely transparent and demonstrate accountability. That’s what I like to do with everything I do and that goes for fantasy football as well. Whether it’s bold takes or DraftKings recommendations, I always like to keep track of wins and losses. It’s good for the readers to know and helps me learn from mistakes moving forward.
Looking back at Week 6, it was worse than Week 5 from a recommendations standpoint. This week 52% of my recommendations hit the 2.5x value we look for in cash game lineups. This time the running back group led the way tied at a 71.4% success rate. Meanwhile, the wide receiver group brought up the rear tied at a 37.5% success rate. Personally, it was a profitable week this week. We’ll look to get it going even better with the picks and stay in the profits in the Week 7 DraftKings plays.
- Week 6 – $458 → $655 ($197 PROFIT)
- Year Total – $2,055 → $2,190 ($135 PROFIT)
Quarterbacks
Geno Smith (SEA) – $6,000 v ARI
It hasn’t been an amazing start to the 2023 season so far for Geno Smith, who is trying to follow up his incredible 2022 campaign. He’s only thrown multiple touchdowns once all season so far. That should change this week when the Seattle Seahawks host the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have been horrible on defense this year and have allowed the sixth-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks this season so far. The Seahawks also have one of the highest implied team totals on the slate at 26 points and one of the biggest favorites too at 7.5 points. All of this added up makes Smith one of the best Week 7 DraftKings plays at quarterback.
Geno Smith had some of the prettiest 27 completions you'll ever see in an NFL game yesterday (@theqbschool 👀) He threw for 300+ on a good Lou Anarumo squad. There's some impressive stuff
Unfortunately – he also took a beating/OL stunk, threw 2 INTs and the team went 1/5 in RZ pic.twitter.com/wx4tNaBwjh
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 16, 2023
Brian Hoyer (LV) – $4,900 @ CHI
Heading into the season, I never expected to be writing about Brian Hoyer but here we are. Brian Hoyer is this week’s quarterback who is priced as a backup but is starting. That’s always something to take advantage of to help save salary and spend up at other positions. On top of that, Hoyer gets a very juicy matchup against the Chicago Bears. The Bears’ defense has been rough this season and has allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks so far. They haven’t been able to pressure the quarterback, so Hoyer, as a veteran, should be able to sit back and make the smart plays. This game does have one of the lower combined totals at 37.5 points but the Las Vegas Raiders are 2.5-point favorites and have a 20-point implied team total. Ultimately, recommending Hoyer is all about the matchup combined with the super cheap salary.
Others to Consider: Russell Wilson (DEN) – $5,400 v GB, Sam Howell (WAS) – $5,500 @ NYG, Kenny Pickett (PIT) – $5,000 @ LAR
Running Backs
Kenneth Walker III (SEA) – $7,000 v ARI
Kenneth Walker III has been one of the best running backs in fantasy football this year, especially if you consider draft day cost. He’s averaging 18.3 DraftKings points per game this season and hasn’t scored less than 10.7 in any single game. It was expected that rookie Zach Charbonnet would eat more into his work but that really hasn’t happened so far. On top of that, Charbonnet is now entering this week banged up so Walker III should get all the work he can handle. As previously mentioned, the Cardinals are not a good defense. They are bad against the pass but even worse against the run. They have allowed the third-most DraftKings points to running backs this year. Also as previously mentioned, the Seahawks are big favorites with one of the highest implied team totals. Everything sets up for Walker III to continue his great 2023 campaign and have a monster day in this one.
Kenneth Walker Snaps Last Three Weeks:
Week 3: 51%
Week 4: 71%
Week 6: 76%Dominating the backfield more every game
— Alex Caruso (@AlexCaruso) October 19, 2023
Zach Evans (LAR) – $4,000 v PIT
Zach Evans is this week’s free square and extremely likely to be one of, if not THE chalkiest player at any position on the entire slate. It makes sense too considering he’s the absolute minimum price for a running back. Evans was a running back that plenty in the dynast community liked before he slipped in the draft a bit and was buried as the third running back on the Los Angeles Rams depth chart. He immediately vaulted to the top of the depth chart after Kyren Williams suffered an ankle injury and Ronnie Rivers suffered a knee injury. The matchup is also nice against the Pittsburgh Steelers who have allowed the ninth-most DraftKings points to running backs so far this year. The Rams also are three-point favorites with a 23.5-point implied team total. All of that combined with the super cheap salary make Evans one of the best Week 7 DraftKings plays at any position this week.
Others to Consider: Josh Jacobs (LV) – $7,400 @ CHI, Isiah Pacheco (KC) – $6,100 v LAC, Roschon Johnson (CHI) – $4,600 v LV, Rachaad White (TB) – $5,100 v ATL, Jerome Ford (CLE) – $5,100 @ IND
Wide Receivers
Cooper Kupp (LAR) – $9,500 v PIT
Cooper Kupp is the most expensive player on the slate, but for good reason. He hasn’t missed a beat after returning from injury a couple of weeks ago. So far in his two games, he’s caught 15 of his 21 targets for 266 yards and a touchdown. Kupp has scored 30.8 and 22.8 DraftKings points in those two games. He’s as good and as involved as ever. This week he gets a juicy matchup against the Steelers. As previously mentioned, the Steelers’ defense isn’t good against the run. They are even worse against the pass. So far in 2023, they have allowed the fourth-most DraftKings points to wide receivers. As previously mentioned, the Rams are three-point favorites with a solid 23.5-point implied team total. On top of that, this game is being played in a dome, which is a nice boost for passing offenses. Considering the talent and matchup, Kup looks like one of the best Week 7 DraftKings plays even at an elevated price tag.
Cooper Kupp is going to eat vs the Steelers 🍽️ pic.twitter.com/PD1IJ4dp4i
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 19, 2023
Joshua Palmer (LAC) – $4,800 @ KC
Joshua Palmer isn’t anything special as a wide receiver but he is solid and involved. He’s stepped up since Mike Williams went down for the season in Week 3. Palmer’s route participation has jumped to 97% and 100% over the last two games. He has scored double-digit DraftKings points now in three straight games as well. Even still, his salary hasn’t hit the $5,000 threshold yet. That seems likely to change if he has one more good performance here. This week is a nice spot to keep the good times going as the Los Angeles Chargers take on the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have been solid on paper, but they are also a good offense that can put up points in a hurry which should force the Chargers to throw more in order to keep up. It makes sense as this game’s 47.5-point combined total is the highest on the slate. Palmer looks like a great way to get a piece of this game for cheap.
Others to Consider: Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) – $3,800 v WAS, Marquise Brown (ARI) – $5,300 @ SEA, Kendrick Bourne (NE) – $4,400 v BUF, Zay Flowers (BAL) – $5,700 v DET, Christian Watson (GB) – $5,600 @ DEN, Keenan Allen (LAC) – $8,600 @ KC
Tight Ends
Sam LaPorta (DET) – $5,300 @ BAL
Sam LaPorta has had one of the best starts to his career by any rookie tight end, ever. On the season, he’s caught 29 of his 42 targets for 325 yards and three touchdowns so far. LaPorta is on pace to catch 82 passes for 920 yards and 8.5 touchdowns. He’s averaging 13.3 DraftKings points per game this season which is better than every tight end not named Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews. LaPorta has scored double-digit DraftKings points in three of his six games and barely missed in the other three. He’s scored between 7.6 and 22.4 DraftKings points in every game. This week’s matchup looks tough on paper against a tough Baltimore Ravens defense that has allowed the fewest DraftKings points to tight ends. Some of that has been the tight ends they’ve played so far though. The Detroit Lions are 3.5-point underdogs in a game with a 43.5-point combined total. Ultimately, despite the tough matchup, LaPorta should stay heavily involved in a trailing game script and has been too good to ignore.
.@Lions TE @Samlaporta is the first TE in @NFL history to produce 3+ receptions & 35+ yards in each of a player's first 6-career games.
Among rookie TEs in team history, he already ranks:
– t-3rd in rec. TDs (3)
– 4th in receptions (29)
– 4th in rec. yards (325)#OnePride pic.twitter.com/e8npvx7r6O— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) October 20, 2023
Michael Mayer (LV) – $2,700 @ CHI
Rookie tight ends are the new craze in fantasy football so it makes sense that two are featured this week. Michael Mayer had started slow and was barely playing but has been coming on very strong over the last couple of weeks. He didn’t reach 40% route participation in any of the first four weeks but has topped that threshold each of the last two weeks including 67% this past week. It’s no coincidence then that last week he scored a career-high 12.5 DraftKings points after catching five of his six targets for 75 yards. All of those numbers were also career highs. It seems like the Raiders are making a clear effort to get him more involved. As previously mentioned, the Bears are not a good defense, and that spills over to the tight end position as well. They have allowed the seventh-most DraftKings points to tight ends so far this year. The matchup combined with the recent uptick in involvement at an extremely cheap price make Mayer one of the better Week 7 DraftKings plays at the tight end position.
Others to Consider: Dawson Knox (BUF) – $2,900 @ NE, Luke Musgrave (GB) – $3,300 @ DEN, Zach Ertz (ARI) – $3,200 @ SEA
Defense/Special Teams
In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I look to target the heavily favored teams as they usually are playing with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often which can help lead to extra sacks and turnovers and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. My advice is to fill out the rest of your lineup first and then pick your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.
My Tentative Cash Game Lineup
- QB – Brian Hoyer
- RB – Kenneth Walker III
- RB – Zach Evans
- WR – Cooper Kupp
- WR – Keenan Allen
- WR – Joshua Palmer
- TE – Michael Mayer
- Flex – Isiah Pacheco
- DST – Arizona Cardinals
Make sure to tune in next week to see the results from my Week 7 DraftKings plays and to see the best picks for Week 8. Best of luck to everyone and let’s all enjoy some football and win some money!
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Main Photo Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
