NFL Power Rankings
Most of the league’s top teams didn’t perform up to their expectation in Week 6. Point total unders went 12-2-1 in Week 6, demonstrating the lack of scoring across the league. We’ve digested enough NFL film and gameplay through six weeks to start getting a feel for how teams perform, their scheme, tendencies, and the best players to roster in fantasy football based on usage and efficiency. It’s always changing from week to week, based on the strengths of an opposing defense.
These Week 7 NFL power rankings are ranked 1-32, best to worst, with each team getting a player highlighted for good or poor play through one-third of the regular season. Time is flying by and the start/sit decisions become much more difficult in Week 7, as the Panthers, Bengals, Cowboys, Texans, Jets, and Titans are all on their Bye Week. Most of these players mentioned in this power rankings article are unlikely to be claimed off of league waiver wires, but it’s still worth scanning the wire quickly to verify. Without further ado, NFL fantasy analyst Matt MacKay gives us his latest NFL Power Rankings entering Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season, diving into one notable fantasy player from each team to dissect their value and worth in fantasy football lineups moving into Week 7.
1. Detroit Lions
QB Jared Goff – Through six weeks, Jared Goff is the QB5 in fantasy points per game (19.4), which is tied with Patrick Mahomes and higher than Lamar Jackson. Goff also has a pair of rushing touchdowns, more than Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa, while relying on the Lions’ personnel and scheme, with heavy play action, to launch deep passes downfield to a talented core of receivers. Goff remains a low-end QB1 heading into a tough road matchup against Baltimore in Week 7.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
RB Isiah Pacheco – Second-year running back Isiah Pacheco is a menace on the field, averaging 4.4 YPC and hauling in 17 of 19 targets for an additional 135 receiving yards, putting him well over 500 scrimmage yards through the Chiefs’ first six games. In an offense that is surprisingly lackluster this season, at least so far, Pacheco has been the work-horse, using his punishing physical running style to move the chains effectively for Kansas City. Pacheco is an RB1 in a top-seven fantasy running back matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7.
3. Miami Dolphins
RB Raheem Mostert – Injuries aside, Raheem Mostert has been one of the most consistently explosive and dynamic running backs in the NFL. We saw it several years ago during the 49ers’ Super Bowl run, and now, we’re seeing it in another West Coast offense in Miami. The injury to De’Von Achane opens up more volume for Mostert, who is fresh off of a three-touchdown outing against Carolina. Mostert is RB3 in fantasy points per game this season (21.7) and is a bonafide RB1 until further notice.
4. San Francisco 49ers
WR Deebo Samuel – We’ve seen Deebo Samuel make some explosive plays this season, but injuries continue to flare up for the big-bodied wideout. Samuel is fourth on the 49ers in terms of fantasy points per game this season (10.3) and exited the loss against Cleveland early due to a shoulder injury. He returns value when used as a running back, averaging 5.3 YPC and a rushing touchdown this season, but he’s caught fewer passes than Brandon Aiyuk and gets more intermediate targets, which has dropped Samuel to WR32 in fantasy points per game across the league this season. He’s a low-end WR2 with WR1 upside when healthy.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
WR A.J. Brown – After a slow start, A.J. Brown has exploded with fantasy production. Brown is averaging 16.7 fantasy points per game, ranked WR8 through six games. A couple of dropped touchdowns in the end zone against Tampa Bay could have the Eagles’ star wideout in the top five. Regardless, he’s been much more consistent lately, with Jalen Hurts targeting him 8-14 times in five of six games played this season. Brown now has four consecutive games with over 120 receiving yards and at least six receptions, making him an undisputed WR1 in all fantasy formats.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
RB Travis Etienne Jr. – One of the bigger steals in fantasy drafts has been Travis Etienne. Tank Bigsby hype grew out of control this offseason, pushing Etienne down in ADP, so fantasy managers who took a chance on the Jaguars’ RB1 are rejoicing. Etienne is RB5 in fantasy points per game (17.5) and has ripped off back-to-back games with at least 21.8 fantasy points, scoring four touchdowns across the last two weeks. Continue plugging Etienne into lineups as a solid RB1 rest of season.
7. Buffalo Bills
RB James Cook – As soon as we thought the Buffalo Bills had figured out their running game, they’ve regressed. James Cook is RB24 in fantasy points per game (10.6) and hasn’t handled 15-plus carries since Week 3. He also earned zero targets in Week 6 against a porous Giants run defense, while managing 5.1 YPC. The talent might be there, but the usage is not, so Cook remains a low-end RB2 with high-end RB2 upside.
8. Baltimore Ravens
WR Zay Flowers – Rookie wideout Zay Flowers has a dominant lead on target share in Baltimore’s wide receiving corps, entering Week 7 with an impressive 28 percent target share. This is borderline elite usage, plus Flowers just recorded his first career touchdown in London during a Week 6 win over the Titans. Flowers is a prime red zone target for Lamar Jackson, so expect him to continue putting up mid-range WR2 numbers with the potential to deliver low-end WR1 upside.
9. Cleveland Browns
RB Jerome Ford – Cleveland’s second-year running back, Jerome Ford, is nearing a 50/50 timeshare with Kareem Hunt in the backfield. It’s still Ford’s for now, but Hunt ripped off an impressive touchdown run during the Browns’ 19-17 win over San Francisco in Week 6, earning 35.3 percent of the rushing share. Hunt also saw slightly more targets than Ford. Since a nice two-week stretch of 22.6 and 18.1 fantasy points against the Steelers and Titans, Ford is barely hitting 10 points in his past two games. Yes, these have been tough defenses, but his floor is a bit lower than we’d prefer. Low-end RB2 with RB1 upside.
10. Houston Texans
RB Dameon Pierce – One of the biggest fantasy draft busts thus far has been Dameon Pierce. The Texans’ pass-centric offense relies on C.J. Stroud to target his receivers and tight ends downfield, while Pierce is a mere afterthought, Now, he’s ceding touches to Devin Singletary and has only scored once this season despite Houston frequently being in the red zone. Pierce is RB34 in fantasy points per game (7.8), so he’s either a bench stash or a waiver wire cut at this point.
11. Los Angeles Rams
WR Puka Nacua – Puka Nacua finally fizzled out in a game where there was a good matchup to exploit. Nacua couldn’t hold onto a perfectly thrown pass from Matthew Stafford in the end zone, which would have boosted him to over 10 fantasy points against the Cardinals. He still turned seven targets into four receptions for 26 yards, but Cooper Kupp took all of the downfield work, averaging 16.4 yards per target compared to only 3.7 for Nacua. This trend may continue, which makes Nacua a mid-range WR2 in a pass-heavy Rams offense.
12. Dallas Cowboys
WR CeeDee Lamb – We finally saw CeeDee Lamb return to over 100 receiving yards during Dallas’ Week 6 win over the Chargers, catching all seven of his targets for 117 yards. While Lamb has only scored once this season, he should continue to get peppered with targets in an efficient Cowboys offense. No 20-point games yet, but they are coming, so stay patient and keep Lamb plugged into lineups as a low-end WR1.
13. Cincinnati Bengals
RB Joe Mixon – It’s been ugly for Joe Mixon, despite being the undisputed RB1 in a good Bengals offense. Mixon has one touchdown this season, while averaging 3.8 YPC. He’s been earning three to four targets in most games, elevating his floor a bit, but Mixon remains RB28 in fantasy points per game (7.7), so fantasy managers are once again failing to get an ROI on Mixon’s ADP. Mixon is a low-end RB2 with high-end RB2 upside until further notice.
14. Seattle Seahawks
RB Kenneth Walker III – He may not get a ton of targets, but Kenneth Walker has been a touchdown machine for Seattle, using his physicality and jump-cut ability to find lanes into the end zone. Walker has scored six rushing touchdowns, tied for third-most in the league while averaging 4.2 YPC. Seattle’s offense has looked a bit stagnant, but Walker is a bright spot, so continue rolling him out in lineups as a low-end RB1.
15. New York Jets
RB Breece Hall – The elimination of Breece Hall’s snap count has done wonders for fantasy managers and the New York Jets. Hall has scored in back-to-back games and is already up to RB20 in fantasy points per game, despite an extremely limited amount of touches to start his 2023 season. The wheels are up on Hall, who now gets a relatively easier schedule moving forward. Hall is a fringe RB1 with top-five upside at his position.
16. Los Angeles Chargers
WR Keenan Allen – Many doubted Keenan Allen’s ability to do more than just intermediate route running. How wrong we were. Allen is WR2 in fantasy points per game (20.7) and is catching 76.4 percent of his targets, which is the best inside of the top-five fantasy wide receivers. Allen’s scored four touchdowns across the last four weeks while eclipsing 75 receiving yards in all but one game this season. Allen is a top-five fantasy wide receiver rest of season.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
WR George Pickens – Pittsburgh’s biggest weapon on offense this season has been second-year wideout, George Pickens. He’s won multiple games with big play receptions for touchdowns, keeping the Steelers above .500 despite an anemic rushing attack and porous pass defense. Pickens is WR18 in fantasy points per game, making him a solid WR2 with low-end WR1 upside, depending on the matchup.
18. New Orleans Saints
WR Chris Olave – Fantasy managers paid a second-round ADP for Chris Olave, which has yet to return value. Olave is a talented wideout for the Saints but he’s WR29 in fantasy points per game, averaging 10.6 points per game, scoring only one touchdown, and averaging a paltry 7.8 yards per target. Derek Carr is an average quarterback and his deep throws typically go to Rashid Shaheed, so for now, Olave is a low-end WR2 with high-end WR2 upside.
19. Minnesota Vikings
WR Jordan Addison – Despite the injury to Justin Jefferson opening up more targets for rookie wideout Jordan Addison, he only managed 10.3 fantasy points in a plus-matchup against the Bears in Week 6, despite scoring a touchdown. Most of the volume went to T.J. Hockenson, despite perceptions of more volume coming to Addison in Jefferson’s absence. Addison is a mid-range WR2 reliant upon touchdowns heading into a tough matchup against the 49ers in Week 7.
20. Las Vegas Raiders
WR Jakobi Meyers – Don’t look now, but Jakobi Meyers is WR12 in fantasy points per game this season (14.5), quickly becoming one of Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite targets. It also helps that Meyers plays alongside star wideout Davante Adams, earning softer coverage and less attention from the best defensive backs. Meyers has four touchdowns this season in three games, making him a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside when he scores.
21. Green Bay Packers
WR Christian Watson – It’s been a bit ugly for Green Bay’s passing attack this season, but quarterback Jordan Love enjoys taking deep shots downfield, which has been funneled to second-year wideout Christian Watson since returning from a hamstring injury. Watson has only played two games, but he’s almost the leader in fantasy points per game in the Packers’ wide receiving corps, so it won’t be long before he takes the lead, elevating him into WR2 territory rest of season.
22. Indianapolis Colts
RB Jonathan Taylor – The Colts paid Jonathan Taylor the contract extension he was seeking all offseason a couple of weeks ago, but he has yet to get going in a Gardner Minshew-led offense. Zack Moss poached most of the touches in Week 5, while they split evenly in Week 6, with Taylor returning value as a receiver, catching five of six targets for 46 yards. It’s only a matter of time before Taylor gets unlocked, and you don’t want to miss that game, but it’s been frustrating so far. Taylor is a high-end RB2 with low-end RB1 upside once he begins ripping off chunk plays and finding the end zone, especially without Anthony Richardson at the goal line.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RB Rachaad White – Rachaad White, even in the later rounds of fantasy drafts, has failed to be an asset in lineups. White is RB30 in fantasy points per game (9.0) this season, barely registering as an RB3. He was hyped up for his pass-catching ability, but he’s only seen 17 targets, turning those into 16 receptions for 98 yards and zero receiving touchdowns. White is averaging 3.3 YPC and has only one rushing touchdown this season, so he’s either a bench stash or a cut candidate to waivers.
24. Atlanta Falcons
TE Jonnu Smith – We’ve seen Atlanta deploy two tight end sets this season to execute their run-blocking strategy, while allowing quarterback Desmond Ridder to have two security blankets on the field. Both Kyle Pitts and Smith scored in Week 6, bumping the latter into TE10 on the season in fantasy points per game (7.4), so Smith should return value as a low-end TE1 streaming option in the upcoming weeks.
25. Tennessee Titans
RB Derrick Henry – Titans’ RB1, Derrick Henry, has been a bit volatile this season in terms of production. Henry is still RB15 in fantasy points per game (13.6) and he’s reached at least 80 rushing yards in three games, scoring a touchdown every other game since Week 2. Rookie running back Tyjae Spears is definitely eating into some usage, but Henry needs to be in the red zone to return max value, which the Titans have struggled to do this season due to pedestrian quarterback play from Ryan Tannehill. Henry is still a high-end RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.
26. Washington Commanders
RB Brian Robinson Jr. – It would’ve been a quiet outing in Week 6 for Commanders’ second-year running back, Brian Robinson, if it weren’t for a touchdown on a screen play late in the game. Robinson is RB16 in fantasy points per game (13.2) but he’s seen Antonio Gibson slowly carve out a bigger role, reducing Robinson’s touches to 16 or less since Week 2. Robinson is still the de facto RB1 on obvious run downs, but Washington struggles to stay ahead of schedule, so he’s a mid-range RB2 right now.
27. Denver Broncos
WR Courtland Sutton – Russell Wilson has shown good rapport with Courtland Sutton this year, but the Denver passing attack is a bit underwhelming overall. Still, Sutton has four touchdowns and is a red zone favorite for Wilson, keeping him in the WR2 range. However, Sutton has dropped to six or fewer targets in three consecutive games, finishing with under 50 receiving yards during this recent stretch. His floor is solid, averaging exactly 10 fantasy points per game, but the low ceiling keeps Sutton as a mid to low-range WR2.
28. Chicago Bears
TE Cole Kmet – The Bears’ streaky tight end continues his volatility, scoring under seven fantasy points in four of six games played. He has a big ceiling though, scoring 24 points against Denver with a 7-85-2 stat line, while also scoring against Washington the following game. Kmet is an unreliable, volatile mid-range TE1, which is essentially what we should expect from this position in fantasy football.
29. New York Giants
TE Darren Waller – After a brutal start to his season, Darren Waller is becoming more involved within the Giants’ offense. He has only recorded two double-digit finishes in fantasy football this season, with his best production coming against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, hauling in eight of 11 targets for 86 yards. Waller hasn’t scored a touchdown yet, keeping him as TE12 on the year, but he’s still a reliable asset in the Giants’ passing attack, so spike weeks should be incoming. Don’t cut or bench Waller just yet.
30. Arizona Cardinals
QB Joshua Dobbs – Arizona’s been a tough out all season, with Joshua Dobbs executing the offense with efficiency. Dobbs is QB20 in fantasy points per game this season (14.2) but his biggest asset as a fantasy football quarterback is his rushing upside, hitting 40 or more rushing yards in four of six games played this season. Dobbs’ mobility keeps him in the mix as a mid-range QB2, with fringe QB1 upside if he scores a rushing touchdown. He’s only recorded three passing touchdowns though, so we’re not going to see many weeks with Dobbs inside the top-ten at his position. Still, he’s a viable streamer in Week 7 in a top-ten matchup against Seattle.
31. New England Patriots
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – We finally saw Rhamondre Stevenson get going a bit against the Raiders, scoring his first touchdown since Week 2, while averaging 4.6 YPC, by far his best stat line in any game this season. Stevenson also saw a spike in targets, going 5-of-6 for 24 yards in Week 6, so expect his usage as a receiver to steadily climb in upcoming games, including a good matchup against a porous Buffalo run defense in Week 7.
32. Carolina Panthers
WR Adam Thielen – Arguably the best steal in the final rounds of fantasy drafts, or maybe even acquired off of waivers after a poor outing in Week 1, Adam Thielen has climbed into WR7 in fantasy points per game this season (17.0) serving as Bryce Young’s favorite target. Thielen is catching 83.1 percent of his targets, the best in the top-ten wide receivers for fantasy points per game, while scoring a touchdown in four of his past five games. This has led Thielen to three games with at least 22 fantasy points in the past four weeks, so he’s a must-start in all fantasy football lineups until something changes.
