Fantasy football analyst Hayden Winks shares the players he's higher — and lower — on than Yahoo consensus for Week 7.
These rankings will be tinkered with all the way until kickoff, so please check back in on our weekly rankings pages and Sunday AM sit/start show for the absolute latest.
These blurbs are also Hayden's The Blueprint, which is his weekly rankings and analysis column. The RB version is out on Wednesdays, while the WR version and the QB/TE/K/DEF version are out on Thursdays before Thursday Night Football.
Players Hayden is higher on
Tyler Higbee, TE, Rams (at LV) - 39.5 proj. yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Lowest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
+3.2 | 14 | 7 | 7 |
Higbee has been the TE10 on TE9 usage over the last month with Terrance Ferguson sidelined. Even last week's relative dud still included 31-of-38 routes and four receptions. That, of course, was with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams healthy. Adams is out for about 10 weeks (aka the regular season), and Ferguson isn't eligible to return from his ankle injury until Week 8 at the very earliest. This will be an excellent week for Higbee on paper. He had his best game of the year in Week 3 (TE7 on TE3 usage) without Nacua and Ferguson.
The Raiders have also had issues against TEs, allowing the sixth-most points to the position. As usual, the Rams have a high team total (26.5, fourth) with very little depth at WR. It's a great environment for him.
Woody Marks, RB, Texans (vs. NYG) - 84.5 proj. total yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Lowest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
+5.8 | 21 | 10 | 11 |
Update: Jawhar Jordan was placed on injured reserve.
Marks has increased his role without David Montgomery, ranking as the RB11 and RB19 in expected half PPR points in the last two games. Both have resulted in low-end RB2 finishes behind this worrisome OL. The Texans also appear ready to pass the ball more than usual, though Marks figures to mix in there (RB29 in receptions per game) on occasion. Last week, Marks lost more snaps to Jordan, who showed some real explosiveness as a receiver and on cutbacks on zone runs. Marks remains the favorite for goal-line scores while Monty is sidelined. Marks will have more room to run when not facing the Titans and Jaguars' DLs.
The Giants come in ranking 12th in half PPR points allowed to RBs at 20.0 points per game, though they sit seventh in points allowed to RBs through the air compared to 16th against the run. New York has yielded strong receiving lines recently, with Alvin Kamara posting an RB9 finish in Week 6 on 35 receiving yards and a score. Houston is projected for 26.25 points (seventh) as 10.0-point home favorites.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Broncos (at ARI) - 59.5 proj. total yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Lowest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
+2.4 | 25 | 20 | 5 |
Dobbins has been the RB16 in back-to-back weeks on RB14 and RB16 usage in the two games with Sean Payton calling plays again, scoring on a run inside the 5-yard line in each contest. He wasn't a top-36 RB finisher at any point with OC Davis Webb calling plays. Dobbins is back to projecting for 15ish carries depending on the game script and matchup as an RB3/FLEX option. RJ Harvey will still steal a lot of the receiving work, but Dobbins' three receptions in Week 6 were a sign of life for him when the rest of the offense wasn't working with Bo Nix refusing to throw the ball beyond his safety blanket.
The Cardinals defense is 16th in half PPR points conceded to running backs at 19.1 per game. Arizona ranks 12th in rushing points allowed to the position, having surrendered top finishes like Jamhyr Gibbs (RB1) in Week 5 and Christian McCaffrey (RB5) in Week 3. Both Rams' RBs had solid outings last week, too. Denver is listed as 4.5-point road favorites with an implied team total of 24.0 points (12th). I will say the Cardinals front seven is fairly underrated, while their secondary has been the most glaring problem on tape.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Broncos (at ARI) - 49.5 proj. receiving yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Lowest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
+3 | 31 | 25 | 6 |
The season is not going the way it should. He's not seeing the screens or deep shots that were projected for him heading into the season, and over the past two weeks, the Broncos' neutral pass rate has gone from the highest in the NFL to 43% and 40%, well below average.
If that sticks, there's another hurdle to clear. Hopefully Bo Nix took the extended week to learn that he has to start throwing some of these hi/low concepts to the deeper part of the field, and hopefully Sean Payton starts spamming more to Waddle. For now, Waddle is a concept of upside. He's the WR48 on WR36 usage this season, noting a schedule against the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers and Seahawks to open the year was the hardest in the NFL. That's your (our) cope.
The Cardinals present an accommodating matchup, ranking third in half PPR points allowed to WRs. Arizona has specifically struggled against intermediate passing, allowing the fourth-most half PPR points per game on targets between five and 20 air yards. Let's actually throw the ball there, Bo!!! Denver heads into the road contest as 4.5-point road favorites with a 24.0-point implied total (12th). This really needs to be a bounce back spot for the entire offense.
Jordan Addison, WR, Vikings (vs. IND) - 39.5 proj. receiving yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Lowest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
+7.6 | 49 | 34 | 15 |
There really isn't any information from 2026 that is useful for Addison's future production. It's been too many games with Carson Wentz or without Justin Jefferson. Fresh off a bye, the normal starting lineup should be back. Multiple seasons ago when the offense was firing with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold, Addison was a top-30 finisher in two-straight seasons. It's been far quieter of late, but if Kyler Murray can find his grove, there's potentially more startability with Addison than many expect. It'd be nice to see signs of life with that before thrusting into lineups this week, but he at least has a top-10 finish under his belt this year (without Jettas).
This week brings the Colts, who rank 20th in half PPR points allowed to opposing WRs at 25.6 per game. Indianapolis has held receiver rooms in check lately, but that was entirely schedule related (TEN, PIT, WAS and HOU without Nico Collins). Sauce Gardner is unlikely to play, and the rest of the defense is really underwhelming. It's not a surprise to see the Vikings sit as 6-point home favorites with an implied team total of 24.0 points (10th). Addison is a sneaky FLEX play during byes.
Players Hayden is lower on
Isaiah Likely, TE, Giants (at HOU) - 49.5 proj. yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Highest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
-2.6 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
Likely has exploded into the TE2 on TE3 usage over his last four games, averaging 15.0 half PPR points on a 29% target share. He's exactly the TE2 on TE3 usage over the entire season, too, so this wasn't a Jameis Winston thing at all. J.J. McCarthy is willing to toss the ball up and should provide more athleticism than Jameis, who couldn't drive the ball downfield on top of being immobile. This will be concerning QB play, but the lack of target competition stands out. Likely has been inline on just 4% of his snaps this year, fully operating as a slot WR instead.
The Texans rank 25th in half PPR points allowed to TEs at 8.1 per game, but they haven't faced the top fantasy TEs in a bit. They're healthier at LB now and were dominant against the position last season, so there's no way to spin this as a positive matchup at all. The Giants have the lowest team total of Week 6 (16.25) points as road dogs.
Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams (at LV) - 19.7 proj. points
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Highest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
-2.6 | 5 | 11 | 6 |
Stafford continues to sling it at high volume, ranking second in the league with 299 passing yards per game. But he's not playing nearly as well and is currently the QB16 on the season with an EPA per dropback ranking of QB17. Part of the issue has been a big decrease in explosive play rates tied to a lowering 20+ air yard attempt rate, from 18% (third) last year to just 11% (23rd) this year. That's a speed at pass catcher issue, an outlier high screen rate on late downs and more reliance on Kyren Williams in the pass game. Losing Davante Adams for 10ish weeks further complicates their problems.
Now he draws a Raiders defense that is allowing the fifth-most half PPR points per game to quarterbacks (22.5). Las Vegas was tagged for 374 yards and four passing scores by Drake Maye two weeks ago, and they rank fifth in QB passing points allowed. The Rams head on the road as 4.5-point road favorites with a 26-point team total (fifth).
Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets (vs. MIA) - 59.5 proj. receiving yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Highest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
-4.2 | 13 | 20 | 7 |
Wilson has been the WR18 on WR25 usage this season, but it's been highly inconsistent week over week. The return of Omar Cooper Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor figure to work against his top-15 standing moving forward. Because the Jets don't move him in the slot that often, Wilson will see opposing top corners, like he did last week with Christian Gonzalez (WR45 on WR40 usage). Even then, Wilson had a healthy 31% target share.
Miami is not good defensively, but it's allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to WRs because of game script, a struggling run defense and a struggling defense to TEs. They held their own against the Bengals' top-2 WRs in Week 5 before their bye week and did the same against Rashee Rice (WR25) and Mike Evans (WR43) before that. New York carries a 22.0-point implied team total (18th) as 4.5-point home favorites. Wilson is a mid-range WR2.
George Pickens, WR, Cowboys (at PHI) - 69.5 proj. receiving yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Highest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
-1.8 | 14 | 19 | 5 |
Pickens sits as the WR18 in half PPR per-game scoring on WR9 expected-points usage over his last four contests with CeeDee Lamb healthy. That's a slight notch down from his 2025 numbers with Lamb, but nothing to fret over. A 22% target share in this offense with his talent will end up paying off long term.
This matchup will be a challenge, however. Pickens rarely moves off of the boundary X-receiver spot, meaning he'll face off with super star CB1 Quinyon Mitchell for most of this game. The rest of the secondary has been far more vulnerable, so the game plan could be to sacrifice Pickens more than normal. He was held to 30 scoreless yards against Philly in Week 1 of last year, then popped off for a WR4 overall finish in Week 12. This boom-bust nature of his talent and this matchup is summed up by that. Dallas enters as 4.5-point road favorites with an implied team total of 24.5 points (eighth).
Jaylin Noel, WR, Texans (vs. NYG) - 24.5 proj. receiving yards
AVG Yahoo vs. Winks | Highest Yahoo Rank | Hayden's Rank | Difference |
-7.2 | 33 | 45 | 12 |
Noel is a very fun vertical slot, and the results speak for themselves. He's the WR26 on WR75 usage this month, thanks to countless downfield and end zone plays. CJ Stroud is excellent throwing with touch in the areas built for Noel, so this could be a highly efficient duo moving forward. The usage remains the usage. He's only averaging 3.5 targets per game this month, and that's before Marvin Harrison Jr. and Tank Dell ramp up. Noel won't play in 3-WR sets, and Nico Collins will always be the clear-cut alpha. As much as I love Noel's game, he's a pretty obvious sell high.
He faces a Giants secondary that ranks 16th in half PPR points allowed to WRs at 26.0 per game. New York has been stingy against downfield passes, ranking 30th against throws over 15 air yards, but sits 12th against intermediate targets between five and 20 yards. The Texans are 9.5-point home favorites sporting an implied team total of 26.5 points (third).