Game Previews: All Fantasy Relevant Players For Week 7

Vikings vs. Jets

Vikings

The Vikings are finally on the right side of the win/loss column, notching their third win and bringing their record to 3-2-1. They now take on the 3-3 Jets and rookie QB Sam Darnold and will look to stay in contention for the suddenly very strong NFC North. The game will be played in the early slate of action Sunday in MetLife Stadium. The cold shouldn’t be a factor yet as it is hovering around 50 degrees right now, but it’s coming soon in NFL stadiums across the north. Let’s get to some pregame questions.

Will Kirk Cousins take a page out of the Boston Red Sox playbook and rub some pine tar on those hands?

Yes, I live in Houston, Texas and YES I am salty that the Astros were knocked off by the Red Sox. But come on. There is literally a video of the Red Sox pitchers using pine tar to get more RPMs on those baseballs. It was a poorly ran series. Anyways, back to football. It is amazing how much Kirk Cousins has turned the ball over this year via the fumble. It cost them the Bills game and has almost cost them two more since then. The head coach is fed up and so are Vikings fans and Cousins owners. Look, Kirk….JUST HOLD ON TO THE DAMN BALL! The Jets do feature a pretty good pass rush and so there is a good chance that Cousins gets a case of the fumble yips but sheesh please stop it soon. Adam Thielen can only bail you out for so long.

Will Dalvin Cook ever come back healthy?

Eventually, but I think that the Vikings are finally getting smart and holding Dalvin Cook out until he is 100%. Enter Latavius Murray who just ran wild last week. While, I don’t think he will do that this week, I do think that the Vikings are learning that a more balanced approach will help the passing game and pass rush a lot. I imagine that Murray ends up with around the season average for the Vikings lead back of 50-60 yards and a touchdown, but the passing game and defense will win this one.

Is Adam Thielen the best wide receiver in fantasy?

Adam Thielen now has 100+ yards in every game this season and he is well on his way to catching Calvin Johnson and his record of 8 straight 100 yard games. Thielen gets a plus matchup against the Jets defense in what could be a somewhat high scoring affair if the QBs get in a shootout. I expect the Vikings defense to give their offense at least one extra possession via the turnover and have Thielen another 100 yard game with a score. He is as hot as any receiver has been in a long time, so ride the wave!

What will the outcome be?

I see the Vikings being too much for the rookie QB out of USC. I envision an interception and several sacks leading to more offense for the purple and gold. I am going with the Vikings in this one, 27-17.

-Matt Dean

Jets

Back to .500 are the Jets who are having an impressive homestand with back to back wins against the Broncos and Colts. Can they make it a third in a row against a much tougher opponent in the Minnesota Vikings? It will certainly be quite the task for rookie QB Sam Darnold and company, given the fact that the Jets have key injuries on both sides of the ball. That is no excuse though, and the Jets need to channel their play from last week in front of what should be a lively home crowd.

Defense needs to show Cousins ‘what could have been’

In all reality, the way free agency and the draft played out was in favor of the Jets. Yes, landing QB Kirk Cousins would have been a tremendous get for a starved franchise. However, given the fact that this team is one of the younger ones in the league, a ton of money tied into Cousins who wants to win now didn’t make much sense. You can truly argue the Jets dodged a bullet and landed in bliss with drafting Darnold. The defense should play with that mindset on Sunday; to back Darnold in solidarity, and prove to Cousins he made a mistake seemingly just using the Jets as leverage to get a better deal elsewhere.

 

Cousins has been very fumble prone so far this season, having coughed the ball up a staggering six times. The Jets defense are creating turnovers as of late, and one would hope that would continue this game. They have an extremely tough assignment against league-leading – real life and fantasy – WR Adam Thielen, and they’ll have to do it without the likes of S Marcus Maye, and CB’s Trumaine Johnson and Buster Skrine. Containing him and fellow receiver Stefon Diggs will be key, and despite their recent play, I’m not too keen on starting the D/ST in my lineups this week.

 

Go grab your Kearse and Powell stock

What do WR’s Quincy Enunwa and likely Terrelle Pryor have in common? They are both missing this game. Enunwa sprained his ankle, and Pryor has a groin issue. Lovely. Robby Anderson should see an uptick in targets, as Darnold will need to air the ball in out in what could end up being an offensive showing for both teams. However, the receiver you want in your lineup this week is Jermaine Kearse, who caught nine balls on 10 targets last week for 94 yards. He should be favored heavily by Darnold, so start him with confidence as your WR3/flex.

 

Also doubtful for the Jets is RB Isaiah Crowell, who is officially being listed as a game-time decision. He has a foot injury that he has been playing through, but without practicing this week, his status for this game is not looking upward. With that said, RB Bilal Powell will be the featured back in the contest, and you can look for him to be a flex candidate, especially in PPR formats.

-Matt Cava