Week 7 winners and losers: Pollard, Burrow lead the way; Purdy, Henry struggle

Week 7 of the 2026 fantasy football season featured big games by Tony Pollard, Joe Burrow and Zay Flowers. Meanwhile, Brock Purdy, Derrick Henry and Nico Collins all had very quiet days.

So, who were the big winners and losers around the league during the seventh week of the fantasy football season?

Matt Bowen and Michael F. Florio offer their analysis.

Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Biggest injuries and what's next

Ranking fantasy winners of Week 7

1. Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Pollard might be the player of the week, turning 25 carries into 129 yards and three touchdowns. He had scored two touchdowns in his previous 10 games combined. He recorded a season high in yards and totaled his third most in a game as a Titan. He also caught all three of his targets for 26 yards and finished with 36.5 fantasy points. Pollard has averaged 19 touches per game since Week 2, which has him in play weekly as an RB2 or flex option. He is a volume play against a vastly improved Bengals rush defense next week. -- Florio

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2. Joe Burrow, QB; Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow scored a season-high 28.88 points in Sunday's win over the Ravens, throwing for 292 yards and four touchdowns. After a slow start to the year, Burrow has scored 22 or more points in four straight games, with three or more touchdowns in three of his past four. Higgins' 26.8 points were also a season high (he caught 6 of 7 targets for 148 yards and a touchdown), which gives him 21 or more points in three of his past four games. With Burrow's recent level of play, managers can view him as a top-five QB for Week 8, while Higgins moves up the WR2 ranks. -- Bowen

3. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

With backup quarterback Tyler Huntley getting another start, Flowers produced a season-best 27.7 points in the loss to the Bengals. Flowers caught 8 of 11 targets for 137 yards and a touchdown, and he has posted 25 or more points in three of six games played. With Lamar Jackson (ankle) potentially returning next week in a positive matchup versus the Bills' defense, Flowers will be in my WR1 rankings. -- Bowen

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4. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns

Judkins scored a season-high 23.4 points in Sunday's win over the Titans, rushing for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, plus a reception for 8 yards. Yes, Judkins is a touchdown-dependent player in the lineup, but he has had two goal-to-go rushes in two of his past three games and he sees the Steelers' defense again in Week 8. Back in the Week 4 game versus Pittsburgh, Judkins scored 21.6 fantasy points with 96 total yards and a touchdown on 23 touches. He should be locked in as a RB2 next week. -- Bowen

5. Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions

Williams' 26.1 points in Sunday's win over Green Bay were a season high, as he caught 5 of 9 targets for 95 yards with two touchdowns. Williams has now caught two touchdown passes in back-to-back games, with at least 16 points in his past three. Plus, with his dynamic playmaking ability, Williams doesn't need high-end volume to give managers points in the lineup. With the Vikings up next, a top-five defense versus wide receivers, Williams should be played as a Flex. -- Bowen

6. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

McBride sure enjoyed National Tight Ends Day, going for 10 catches, 111 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. He finished with a season-high 27.1 fantasy points. McBride has seen double-digit targets in five of six games and has nine in the other. He has been in double-digit fantasy points every game. He is one of the safest plays each week and is in a tier with only Brock Bowers at TE. He is a must-start each week, but especially in favorable matchups such as in Week 8 against Dallas. -- Florio

7. Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Irving had himself a day, turning 26 opportunities into 110 yards and two touchdowns and finishing with 24 fantasy points. Irving has been up and down this season but can take advantage of positive matchups. He faces the Falcons' stout rush defense next week, but with 21 or more touches in three straight games, he is back to must-start status based on volume alone. -- Florio

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8. Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants

Skattebo was the Giants' lead runner, turning 17 carries into a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown. He played 55% of the snaps and was the lead back after Tyrone Tracy Jr. exited due to injury. Outside of his "benching" in Week 6, he has at least 15 touches in each game this season. That makes him one of the safer volume plays at a banged-up RB position. He is back in the RB2/flex range moving forward, including in the Giants' next game against the Eagles after the bye. -- Florio

9. Michael Penix Jr., QB; Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

After a rough start to the season, this Falcons pass game is settling in with Penix under center, which creates more consistent opportunities for London. In Sunday's win over the 49ers, London scored 19.6 points, catching his first touchdown of the season, and he has had 18 or more points in three of his past five games. Penix finished with 20.42 points and threw for three touchdowns, and he now has scored 20 or more in back-to-back games. With a Week 8 matchup versus the Tampa defense, I'll have London as a lower-tier WR1, while Penix can be played as a QB2 in Superflex formats. -- Bowen

10. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos

Nix posted his best fantasy game of the season, finishing with 26.28 points. He threw for 222 yards and one touchdown, with 74 rushing yards and another score. The 12.2 fantasy points generated by his 62-yard touchdown run accounted for 46% of his Week 7 fantasy points and were more than he scored in three separate games this season. Do not be fooled by that one play. However, his season-high 10.7 air yards per attempt was encouraging. It was great to see Nix take advantage of this matchup, but he'll have a much tougher one next week against the Chiefs, who allowed the third-fewest fantasy PPG to QBs entering Week 7. He still has more to prove before fantasy managers trust him in a matchup like that. -- Florio

11. Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets

Game flow played a role here, but Smith scored 23.48 points in the loss to the Dolphins, his second-highest total of the season. Smith threw for three touchdowns in this one, finishing with 287 yards passing, and we saw some emerging talent, too. Rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (22.5 points) caught a touchdown pass and topped the 100-yard receiving mark for the second straight game. Cooper, who is available in over 60% of ESPN leagues, should be a must-add this week. Tight end Mason Taylor showed up, too, with two TD receptions on his way to a career-best 25.2 points. -- Bowen

Ranking fantasy losers of Week 7

1. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Purdy scored a season-low 12.02 fantasy points in Week 7. He threw for 288 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The 49ers were without Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. -- with Christian McCaffrey missing part of the game as well -- which was too much to overcome. Purdy averaged 27 fantasy PPG in his first three games, but that has fallen to 16.28 in the past four. The 49ers are on bye next week, which could allow their pass catchers to get healthy. Purdy, who still brings a very safe floor, remains in play as a QB1, but he is not the must-start option he looked like to open the season. -- Florio

2. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Henry failed to post double-digit points for the second straight game, rushing for 45 yards on 17 carries while adding one reception for 4 yards (5.9 fantasy points). Henry is seeing consistent volume (at least 18 touches in every game in 2026), but he has been inefficient on goal-line opportunities, and his lack of receiving usage caps his ceiling. Henry should be viewed as a touchdown-dependent, lower-tier RB1 for the Week 8 matchup versus the Bills. -- Bowen

3. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

Collins caught 2 of 5 targets and finished with 6 yards and 2.6 fantasy points. It was his fewest yards in a game since his rookie season. After averaging 26 fantasy PPG in his first two games of the year, Collins has averaged just 8.0 per game in his past three. Even more concerning is he has seen just five targets in each of the past two games as Houston has spread the ball out more. It certainly dings Collins' fantasy value a bit. Still, the upside is so high that he remains a WR to start each week after the Texans' Week 8 bye. -- Florio

4. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Where's the confidence level on Jefferson after Week 7? Jefferson scored only 8.4 points in Sunday's win over the Colts, his third game this season with less than 10. Jefferson has yet to see double-digit targets in a game this season, too, and the Vikings' passing offense with Kyler Murray has yet to establish a consistent rhythm. Now, Jefferson does get some very positive matchups over the next two weeks (@DET, BUF), which will keep him in the WR1 range, but I understand if managers are concerned about the league's best route runner and his lack of production. -- Bowen

5. Bryce Young, QB, WR Tetairoa McMillan, WR Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers

The Panthers' offense went off the rails early in their Week 7 blowout loss to the Bucs. Young's 5.42 fantasy points marked a season low, as he threw for 163 yards, a touchdown and two picks. McMillan caught 4 of 6 targets but managed only 40 yards (8.0 points), and Coker finished with just one grab on four targets for 9 yards (1.9 points). Brutal numbers, but that's football in this league sometimes. The Carolina pass game will look to rebound on a short week in the Thursday night matchup at Green Bay. -- Bowen

6. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions

LaPorta did not get the Nationals Tight Ends Day memo. He had just one catch for 18 yards on two targets, finishing with 2.8 fantasy points. All of those were season lows. LaPorta had been a very reliable option, topping 17 fantasy points in three of his previous four games. Due to those performances and the normal usage he sees, LaPorta remains someone fantasy managers should continue to start. However, you might need to temper expectations next week against the Vikings, who allowed the fewest fantasy PPG to TEs entering Week 7. -- Florio

y. Isaiah Likely, TE, New York Giants

Likely finished with just 3.2 fantasy points as he caught 2 of 4 targets for 12 yards. Fantasy managers should not panic, as the Texans have been very tough against tight ends lately. The most encouraging sign is that quarterback J.J. McCarthy looked the part. While this performance is disappointing, Likely has earned enough trust to be started against the Eagles after the Giants' Week 8 bye. -- Florio

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Injury impact

Aaron Jones Sr., RB, Minnesota Vikings

What we know: Jones aggravated a previous knee injury (MCL sprain) during the second half versus the Colts. He did not return to the game. Jones finished with 26 yards rushing on eight carries.

What's next: If Jones is out next week, Jordan Mason would move into the lead role. In his first game back from IR, Mason rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries versus the Colts. Available in over 35% of ESPN leagues, Mason would have RB2 value in a positive matchup versus the Lions' defense. -- Bowen

Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants

What we know: Tracy injured a hamstring in the second quarter versus the Texans, and he did not return to the game.

What's next: The Giants head into the bye next week, so we will monitor Tracy and Cam Skattebo, who said he "felt something" in a hamstring on his big run in overtime. Stay tuned. -- Bowen

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Denver Broncos

What we know: Waddle injured his shoulder late in the fourth quarter on a reverse attempt. He left the field and did not return to the game. Waddle finished with 48 yards on four receptions.

What's next: If Waddle can't go in a key AFC West matchup versus the Chiefs, Courtland Sutton would elevate into the WR2/Flex range. We'll continue to monitor Waddle's status this week. -- Bowen