NFL

DRAFT Daily Fantasy Football Helper: Week 7

Entering Week 7 of the NFL, roles, usage, and team identities have slowly rounded into form. With injuries, byes, and matchups influencing the game on a week-to-week level, fantasy enthusiasts can put their knowledge to the test on DRAFT. DRAFT provides weekly snake and auction drafts, where the market sets the value for players, unlike conventional DFS sites. Here are a few standout plays going into the weekend.

Quarterback

Kirk Cousins - For those looking at quarterback in the early to mid rounds of draft, look no further than Kirk Cousins. Cousins currently ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,921 passing yards, along with 12 touchdowns and a mere 3 interceptions through six games.

Cousins benefits from an offense reliant on the pass. The Minnesota Vikings rank 28th in rushing yards per game (87.3), allowing Cousins to attempt the fourth-most passes in the NFL (260).

In Week 7, the Vikings will have a favorable matchup against the New York Jets. The Jets have allowed the eighth-most passing yards to opposing quarterbacks and will likely be sans Buster Skrine and Trumaine Johnson again this weekend. This should allow Cousins to eat in the passing game.

Available in the mid-rounds, Cousins could be one of this week's premier quarterback plays.

Andy Dalton - With 1,674 passing yards and 14 touchdowns through six games, Andy Dalton continues to be underrated in weekly snake drafts.

Dalton has arguably the most tantalizing matchup on the slate as he will battle the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have allowed the most passing yards this season (2,142), which is more than 300 yards more than anyone else. The Chiefs have the 21st-ranked pass defense, per our schedule-adjusted metrics, and will likely be without Eric Berry again this week.

This game easily has the highest total on the slate at 58.5 points (as of Thursday), implying the Bengals for 32.25 points. Allowing at least 27 points to everyone except the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chiefs are a defense to target this season.

Falling to the final round of weekly snake drafts, Andy Dalton is perfect for those who want to load up at running back and wideout.

Running Back

Saquon Barkley - After putting his absurd talents on display during Thursday Night Football, Saquon Barkley is the only player rivaling Todd Gurley for the top selection in weekly snake drafts.

Saquon's usage remains insane, receiving 81.6 percent of the New York Giants' running back touches. This includes a massive 39 receptions on 50 targets.

The do-it-all back will face an Atlanta Falcons defense notorious for hemorrhaging production to opposing running backs, primarily in the receiving game. Historically, they allowed the most or second-most receptions and receiving yards to running back each of the last three years. This year looks to be no different, with the Falcons allowing the most receptions (53) and second-most receiving yards (425) to enemy backs. Plus, Atlanta will be without Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, and Ricardo Allen.

This Falcons-Giants matchup has the second-highest total on the slate (54.5), so there should be plenty of scoring. Game script agnostic and in a positive matchup, Barkley should be off the board early this week.

Joe Mixon - Falling to the late-first or early-second round, Joe Mixon provides the upside to finish at the top of leaderboards.

Since returning from injury, Mixon has handled a massive 92.6 and 88.2 percent of the Bengals running back touches in his two games, along with 19 targets for the year. Giovani Bernard looks like he will miss another game, locking Mixon into feature-back duty again this week.

Noted above, the Chiefs provide a particularly soft matchup. As a defensive unit, they have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards to backs (649) and the most receiving yards to the position (510). Per our metrics, they rank as the league's worst run defense.

In the game with the highest total of the week (58.5 points), Mixon should see plenty of opportunity and could have a ceiling outing.

Tarik Cohen - Seemingly thinning by the week, running back looks particularly bleak outside the first two rounds. However, for those employing a contrarian draft style, targeting Tarik Cohen could prove valuable.

Cohen remains locked in a timeshare with Jordan Howard, but he has seen his snap share grow to 48 and 49 percent each of the past two weeks. Cohen turned this playing time into 32 touches and 15 targets.

The Chicago Bears face the New England Patriots, who have allowed their fair share of production to running backs. They have been particularly vulnerable to pass-catching backs, allowing the fifth-most receiving yards to backs (349) this season.

Bookmakers currently peg the total at 49.5 points for this one, with the Patriots favored by 3.0 points. This indicates that Cohen could see increased usage in negative game script for the Bears. Still available in the final rounds, Cohen's receiving ability provide a solid floor with a large ceiling.

Receiver

Robert Woods - With many of the top receivers stuck in tough matchups, Robert Woods looks like a bargain in the late-second or early-third round.

The Los Angeles Rams have been absolutely smashing opponents, scoring more than 30 points in five of six games. Woods leads the Rams in targets (49), receptions (34), and air yards (503). Woods' scoring environment is further boosted by an injury to Cooper Kupp, and the potential absences of K'Waun Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Jimmie Ward, who are all nursing injuries for the San Francisco 49ers.

The Niners recently allowed Davante Adams, Jimmy Graham, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all to eclipse 100 yards in the same game, and they are giving up the 10th-most receiving yards to wideouts this year (1,076).

Woods should maintain a prominent role in one of the league's best offenses, allowing him to be selected confidently in the early rounds.

Stefon Diggs - After dealing with the Patrick Peterson treatment in Week 5, Stefon Diggs enters a bounce-back spot against the Jets.

While Adam Thielen has stolen the show, Diggs has 60 targets, 435 receiving yards, and 532 air yards himself. Diggs also draws a Jets defense that has quietly allowed the third-most receiving yards (1,192) to start the year. Likely to be missing Trumaine Johnson, Buster Skrine, and Marcus Maye, the Jets present an awesome bounce back spot for Diggs.

Usually remaining on draft boards till the mid-to-late rounds, Diggs provides elite upside at a fraction of the cost.

Jarvis Landry - One of the bigger disappointments to start the year, Jarvis Landry is a bet on talent and volume in the late rounds of weekly snake drafts.

Landry is tied for 8th in targets (63) and 10th in air yards (660), but he has yet to put together a big game on the field. However, Landry enters a matchup against arguably the league's worst secondary in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs have allowed a massive 1,076 receiving yards to wideouts through five games, and they rank dead last in pass defense, per our schedule-adjusted metrics. Each opponent to face the Bucs has scored at least 21 points, with four of five eclipsing 30 points.

Available until the finals rounds, Landry's long-awaited big game could come this week.