NFL Week 7 Roundup

Welcome back to the Weekly Roundup. As always, we will be highlighting this past week’s injury report, top performers, underperformers, and surprise producers. There was no shortage of stunning storylines during Week 7 of the 2023 NFL Season, so let’s recap the action.

INJURY ROUNDUP

Justin Fields (CHI) - Hand/Thumb

• Justin Fields remains sidelined with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. Tyson Bagent received the start in Week 7, leading the Bears to a win over the Raiders. Bagent is expected to be the continued starter if Fields is unable to go in Week 8 and beyond.

Roschon Johnson (CHI) - Head (Concussion)

• Rookie running back Roschon Johnson has yet to clear the NFL’s concussion protocol since suffering the injury on Thursday Night Football in Week 5. D’Onta Foreman will continue to handle the majority of touches in the backfield until Johnson returns to full health.

Jaylen Waddle (MIA) - Back

• Jaylen Waddle was injured in the second quarter but quickly made his return to the field. The team has yet to remove his injury designation, leaving Waddle with a questionable tag for Week 8.

Gerald Everett (LAC) - Quadricep

• Gerald Everett exited in the third quarter of the Chargers Week 7 loss to the Chiefs and should be considered questionable entering Week 8. Donald Parham has performed admirably in Everett’s stead and should continue to see the lion’s share of tight end snaps.

Deshaun Watson (CLE) - Head/Shoulder

• Deshaun Watson made his return off the injury report in Week 7 but quickly found himself sidelined once again after taking a big hit in the Browns’ 39-38 win over the Colts. Watson cleared concussion protocol but did not return to the game. It is quite likely that the Browns quarterback reaggravated the shoulder injury that had kept him sidelined weeks prior. Former XFL superstar P.J. Walker is the only contingency plan for Watson’s absence.

Jerome Ford (CLE) - Ankle

• Jerome Ford was off to a great start in Week 7 before exiting the game early in the fourth quarter. Ford was seen in a protective walking boot following the contest, leaving his Week 8 availability in serious jeopardy. Kareem Hunt scored twice in Week 7 and would see an immediate increase in opportunity sans Ford.

Jalen Hurts (PHI) - Knee

• Jalen Hurts was sporting a knee brace in the second half of the Eagles' Week 7 win over the Dolphins and had a noticeable limp following the contest. Hurts (along with the Eagles coaching staff) claims to be fine with no concerns about starting the next game.

Christian McCaffrey (SF) - Oblique

• All reports suggest that Christian McCaffrey is expected to play in Week 7. McCaffrey’s health throughout the game should be monitored as the star running back will likely be on a limited snap count. Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell are the favorites to handle increased work in a committee approach.

Luke Musgrave (GB) - Ankle/Head

• Luke Musgrave donned a walking boot following the Packers' Week 7 loss to the Broncos. The rookie tight end was removed from the game in the third quarter after a cheap shot to the head from repeat offender Kareem Jackson. Musgrave was curiously sporting a protective boot with an apparent ankle injury to go along with a concussion.

Jayden Reed (GB) - Shin

• Jayden Reed was not seen in the second half of the Packers' Week 7 game after suffering an apparent shin injury to his lower leg. Reed should be able to practice with limitations throughout the week but could be in jeopardy of missing the team’s next game if the injury persists.

D.K. Metcalf (SEA) - Hip/Rib

• D.K. Metcalf missed the first game of his NFL career in Week 7 after the star wideout was unable to shed his injury designations from the prior contest. Metcalf is considered questionable for Week 8 but would likely suit up following a limited practice.

Zach Charbonnet (SEA) - Hamstring

• Zach Charbonnet watched the Seahawks Week 7 game from the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Charbonnet has a laundry list of lower-body injuries on his resume. His status for Week 8 is certainly in question.

Bijan Robinson (ATL) - Illness/Migraines

• Bijan Robinson practiced in full for the entirety of Week 7 leading up to the Falcons in-division matchup against the Buccaneers but was held to just one carry in the fourth quarter. Head coach Arthur Smith cited an illness for Robinson’s lack of involvement with the running back coming out to say he was suffering from migraines that began Saturday evening before the game.

Jimmy Garoppolo (LV) - Back

• Jimmy Garoppolo was sidelined during the Raiders Week 7 loss with a back injury. The veteran signal-caller is reportedly trending in the right direction and should start the Raiders Week 8 game against the Lions.

David Montgomery (DET) - Ribs

• The Lions leading back missed his second game of the season in Week 7, this time with a rib injury. David Montgomery remains questionable for Week 8 but is reportedly moving toward playing against the Raiders. Expect a healthy dosage of Jahmyr Gibbs if Montgomery is unable to play.

Daniel Jones (NYG) - Neck

• Daniel Jones missed his second consecutive contest with a neck injury. Jones is expected to make a return to the field in Week 8 but his status remains questionable entering the team’s first practice. Tyrod Taylor would be in line for another start if Jones is unable to go.

Kyler Murray (ARI) - Knee

• The Cardinals officially activated Kyler Murray off of the injured reserve list, opening the franchise quarterback’s 21-day practice window. It seems foolish for the Cardinals to bring back Murray during a lost season but the franchise seems intent on getting their star signal-caller reps with new head coach Johnathan Gannon.

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN

Arizona Cardinals: Talentless Tribe

• The Cardinals house a depth chart filled with misfit talent which has thinned out considerably following James Conner’s injury.

• Joshua Dobbs has done his best to keep games close with minimal turnovers but has failed to breathe life into the offensive weapons.

• Emari Demarcado handled the lead running back duties, despite appearing in a reduced role the week prior. He led the team with 13 rush attempts for 57 yards.

• Dobbs' solo rushing touchdown was the team’s only source of scoring outside of Matt Prater’s 44-yard field goal.

• For better, or for worse, the team seems intent on rushing Kyler Murray back to the field, lifting his injured reserve designation with the hope of the quarterback starting at some point in the next three games.

Atlanta Falcons: Down With The Sickness

• Bijan Robinson saw just one carry in the fourth quarter, citing migraine-like symptoms for his lack of involvement.

• The offense was worse for wear without Robinson but managed to hold off the Buccaneers in a 16-13 victory.

• Tyler Allgeier (21 Carries/59 Yards) and Cordarelle Patterson (10 Carries/56 Yards) manned a committee backfield while Desmond Ridder’s rushing touchdown provided the offense with their only source of scoring outside of three Younghoe Koo field goals.

• Drake London and Kyle Pitts' involvement in the offense continues to be frustratingly minimal and inconsistent. 

Baltimore Ravens: Making Statements

• Lamar Jackson had his best passing performance of the 2023 season in the Ravens' emphatic 38-6 beat down of the red-hot Lions.

• Jackson completed 21/27 attempts for 357 yards and three touchdowns, throwing no interceptions while standing upright the entire contest with no sacks.

• Gus Edwards led the team in rushing yards (14 Carries/64 Yards) and receiving yards (1 Reception/80 Yards), finding paydirt on the ground with his second rushing touchdown of the season.

• Mark Andrews was on the receiving end of two of Jackson’s three passing touchdowns, catching four of six targets for 63 yards and the two aforementioned scores.

Buffalo Bills: Frauds of the Frozen Land

• The Bills fell to 4-3 (2nd AFC East) after a dreadful loss to a dysfunctional Patriots squad.

• Dalton Kincaid broke out as the team’s top pass-catcher in Week 7, hauling in all eight of his targets for 75 yards.

• The Bills defense allowed 29 points to the Patriots offense, equating to nine more points than the team had scored in the last three contests combined.

Carolina Panthers: *BYE WEEK*

Chicago Bears: Bear Down

• Justin Fields was forced to miss the Bears Week 7 win with an injury to his throwing hand, leaving the team with no contingency other than undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent to helm the offense.

• Bagent averaged 2.1 yards per target, marking the lowest aDOT of any quarterback this season.

• Nevertheless, the Bears were able to sneak away with a 30-12 victory over the injury-riddled Raiders.

• D’Onta Foreman exploded in his second start of the season as the Bears leading back. Foreman handled 16 carries for 89 yards, scoring twice on the ground while catching three of five targets for 31 yards and an additional score through the air.

Cincinnati Bengals:*BYE WEEK*

Cleveland Browns: Browns Hunt Down Win

• Deshaun Watson attempted just five passes, completing one, before being forced out of the game to be evaluated for a concussion. Watson would clear protocol but not return to the game.

• Kareem Hunt turned back the clock to yesteryear, scoring two rushing touchdowns to help lead the Browns to a narrow 39-38 victory over the Gardner Minshew-led Colts.

• Miles Garrett was once again the best player on either side of the football, forcing two sack fumbles, seven tackles, and three tackles for a loss.

• Jerome Ford is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.

Dallas Cowboys: *BYE WEEK*

Denver Broncos: Sends Green Bay Packing

• The Broncos offense appears wholly incapable of maintaining any semblance of consistent production.

• Fortunately, they needed just 339 total yards and one touchdown to secure a win against the Packers in Week 7.

• Will Lutz provided the majority of the scoring for the Broncos, hitting four of four field goal attempts as the offense failed to find success in the red zone.

• Javonte Williams appears to be returning to full health as he handled 15 carries for 82 yards in Week 7 while no other member of the Broncos offense saw more than five rushing attempts.

Detroit Lions: Lions Pride Diminished

• The Lions offense struggled mightily against the Ravens, mounting just six points and 337 total yards (253 Passing/84 Rushing) in the loss.

• Jahmyr Gibbs enjoyed his first breakout game of the season while David Montgomery was sidelined with a rib injury.

• The Rookie running back caught nine of ten targets for 58 yards, adding 68 yards rushing and one touchdown on 11 carries.

Green Bay Packers: Love Is Blind

• Jordan Love is one of the most wildly inaccurate quarterbacks in the NFL. The Packers quarterback managed just 180 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the league’s worst defense.

• Even more discouraging was the Packers' inability to get the run game going on a team that allowed 182.3 yards of rushing to opposing offenses through the first six games of the season.

• A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones combined for 96 yards on 23 attempts, the lowest total of any backfield to face the Broncos this season.

Houston Texans: *BYE WEEK*

Indianapolis Colts: Downs Trending Up

• Gardner Minshew got his third start of the season for the injured Anthony Richardson, losing a narrow contest to the Browns in a matchup of two teams with polar opposite trajectories.

• Minshew had a respectable outing, tossing for 305 yards and two touchdowns on 15/23 attempts but also coughed up a costly interception.

• Jonathan Taylor continues to share the backfield with Zack Moss as both running backs collected 18 carries in the Colts' loss.

• Taylor was far more productive, however, gaining 75 yards with one touchdown while catching three of four targets for 45 yards.

• Josh Downs had a sensational breakout performance, leading the Colts with six targets while catching five for 125 yards and one touchdown.

• Michael Pittman was on the receiving end of Minshew’s second touchdown, collecting two receptions on five targets for 83 yards and a score.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Etienne Stays Eating For Third Consecutive Week

• The Jaguars have now won four straight games after starting the season 1-2.

• The defense easily dispatched a clunky Saints offense that failed to find the endzone until the fourth quarter.

• Travis Etienne is on an unstoppable tear of week-winning production as the Jaguars star running back has scored six times in his last three games.

• Christian Kirk is miles ahead of Calvin Ridley in the Jaguars pecking order for targets. Ridley continues to struggle in his new offense while Kirk has consistently put up serviceable fantasy numbers.

• This week, Kirk topped all members of the offense in receptions (6), and receiving yards (90) while scoring the team’s only passing touchdown.

Kansas City Chiefs: Mahomes House

• Patrick Mahomes bombed for 424 yards and four touchdowns against the Chargers, connecting with four different receivers on each of his trips to the endzone.

• Travis Kelce was virtually unguardable in Week 6 as the star tight end boasted a 100.0% catch rating, hauling in nine of nine targets for a team-high 124 yards.

• Week 7 yielded more of the same as the star tight end was nearly perfect yet again, catching 12 of 13 targets for 179 yards and one touchdown.

• Mahomes is quietly having the best rushing season of his career, posting 30 or more rushing yards in five of seven games this season.

Las Vegas Raiders: King Kobi Continues Reign

• Jakobi Meyers has out-targeted Davante Adams in 100% of games played with Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting quarterback.

• Unfortunately, Garoppolo was sidelined in Week 7, leaving Brian Hoyer and rookie Aiden O’Connell to helm the offense.

• No matter, Meyers still saw 13 targets to Adams' 12, with both receivers catching seven balls.

• Meyers finished with 50 yards and one touchdown while Adams posted 57 yards with no scores.

• Josh Jacobs is far removed from his sensational 2022 season. The veteran running back has surpassed 70 rushing yards only once this season while averaging 2.9 yards per carry with only two rushing touchdowns in 2023.

Los Angeles Chargers: Herbert’s Turnovers Prove Costly

• The Chargers dropped to 2-4 (3rd AFC West) after losing a one-sided matchup to their division rivals in Week 7.

• Justin Herbert completed 17/30 attempts for 259 yards, tossing two costly interceptions as the Chiefs ran away with a 31-17 victory.

• Austin Ekeler made his long-awaited return to the lineup but was surprisingly out-produced by backup plodder Josh Kelley.

• Ekeler handled 14 carries for 45 yards, catching one of two targets for one lowly yard.

• Kelley, on the other hand, tallied 75 rushing yards on seven attempts. He was not targeted at all in the passing game.

• Joshua Palmer has relished in his increased role sans Mike Williams. Palmer led the Chargers with five receptions for 133 yards.

• Quentin Johnston continues to be a major disappointment for the Chargers, especially when compared to the sensational rookie receiver performances occurring throughout the league.

• Johnston has yet to find his place within the Chargers offense and saw just two targets, of which he caught one for 20 yards, in his last outing.

Los Angeles Rams: No One Can Stop Nacua

• Puka Nacua fell behind Cooper Kupp in the Rams’ last outing but immediately reprised his role as the team’s top wideout in Week 7.

• Kupp saw seven targets, catching two for 29 yards.

• Nacua hauled in eight of his team-high 12 targets for 154 yards, including a 36-yard catch and run that saw the rookie star break several tackles in a highlight-worthy dash.

• The Rams operated with a split committee sans the injured Kyren Williams. Royce Freeman got the starting nod, carrying the ball 12 times for 66 yards while Darrell Henderson shouldered 18 carries for 61 yards and one touchdown.

Miami Dolphins: Speed Trap

• The Dolphins may very well possess the fastest offense in NFL history. Unfortunately, that speed was mitigated against a top-tier Eagles front seven that limited the Dolphins league-leading offense to 244 total yards (199 Passing/45 Rushing) and 17 points while forcing two turnovers.

• Tyreek Hill is still pacing towards the single-season receiving yards record despite the Dolphins' offensive woes in Week 7.

• Hull caught 11 of 15 targets for 88 yards and one touchdown in the loss. The Speedy wideout is now averaging 128.9 yards per game with 902 yards in the first seven weeks.

Minnesota Vikings: Captain Kirk Shines in Primetime

• Primetime Kirk broke the Primetime curse as the Vikings starting quarterback had a career-best outing under the spotlight. Cousins completed 35 of 45 attempts for 378 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings upset win over the 49ers in Week 7.

• Jordan Addison has risen to the top of the Vikings pecking order as the team’s top receiver. The rookie wideout commanded 10 targets, catching seven balls for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

• Cam Akers appears to be the hot hand in the Vikings backfield as the former Rams running back played >90.0% of the team’s second-half snaps, earning 10 carries and three targets while Mattison handled eight rush attempts but matched Akers with three targets as well.

New England Patriots: Bill Owns Bills

• Bill Belichick secured the 300th win of his career, defeating the Bills 29-25. 

• The Patriots head coach joins Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) as the only coaches in NFL history to have 300 or more regular season wins.

• The Patriots 29 points helped snap a three-game losing skid where the team had combined for 20 total points in those contests.

• Belichick has the best win/loss record against the Bills of any active NFL coach, improving his career record to 38-8.

New Orleans Saints: Saints March Straight Into Second Consecutive Loss

• The Saints failed to mount a single touchdown drive until early in the fourth quarter, proving to be too little too late for the team as they dropped their second consecutive game to beatable opponents.

• Derek Carr completed 33/55 attempts for 301 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

• Alvin Kamara led the team in rushing (17 Carries/62 Yards) and receiving (12 Receptions/91 Yards).

• Taysom Hill vulture a red zone touchdown from Kamara early in the fourth quarter, marking the Saints' first trip to paydirt. In over seven quarters of play, dating back to the Week 6 loss to the Texans.

• Chris Olave saw a team-high 15 targets but managed just seven receptions for 57 yards as the star wideout had several miscues with Carr.

• Foster Moreau dropped what could have been a game-sealing reception.

New York Giants: First Half, Cursed Half

• Tyrod Taylor helped the Giants break their scoreless first-half curse, connecting with Darren Waller and Saquon Barkley on passing touchdowns, marking the first time that the Giants have found the endzone before halftime in any game this season.

• The two first-half scores proved to be enough as the Giants' defense was able to hold the Commanders to just seven points.

• Waller has finally settled into his pseudo-WR1/TE1 role, leading the Giants with eight targets, seven receptions, 98 yards, and one touchdown.

New York Jets: *BYE WEEK*

Philadelphia Eagles: Swole Batman Soars

• A.J. Brown’s 809 yards are the most by any receiver in Eagles franchise history through seven games, surpassing Terrell Owens who had 763 yards through seven games in 2005.

• Brown is on pace for 1965 yards this season, averaging 115.6 yards per game and 15.6 yards per reception.

• The Eagles' top wideout has averaged 8.2 receptions, 11.8 targets, 140.2 yards, and 25.8 PPG with four touchdowns after a slow start in Week 1 and Week 2.

• Jalen Hurts passed for 279 yards and two touchdowns, throwing a pick-six that ultimately proved to be a non-factor in the final score.

• Hurts has thrown eight interceptions to only nine touchdowns this season after throwing just seven total interceptions in 2022.

• The Eagles quarterback also added a rushing touchdown, using the oft-controversial “Brotherly Shove” aka “the Tush Push” as his source of scoring.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Just Good Enough

• The Steelers offense has been a laughing stock for much of the 2023 season, succumbing to horrendously incompetent play-calling from offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

• Week 7 marked a glimmer of hope for the Steelers as they scored three times on the ground, rallying late to beat the Rams 24-17.

• Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Kenny Pickett all found paydirt on rush attempts as the Rams' usually stout run defense collapsed.

• George Pickens continues to progress, collecting five receptions for 107 yards. Pickens has tallied 100 or more receiving yards in three of six games this season.

• Diontae Johnson made his long-awaited return from injured reserve, making an immediate impact with five receptions for 79 yards on six targets.

San Francisco 49ers: McCaffrey Makes History, Purdy Makes Misatkes

• Christian McCaffrey broke Emmitt Smith’s longstanding record of consecutive games with a touchdown, setting the new high water mark at 16 games and counting.

• After winning 15 consecutive regular season games, Brock Purdy and the 49ers have now lost two consecutive contests despite being heavily favored in both games.

• Purdy completed 21 of 30 pass attempts for 272 yards and one touchdown but threw two costly interceptions to Cameron Bynum, including a game-sealing pick late in the fourth quarter.

Seattle Seahawks: Rookie Receiver Renaissance

• D.K. Metcalf missed the first game of his NFL career, paving the way for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to have a big game against a lowly Cardinals secondary.

• The first-round rookie delivered with four receptions on a team-high seven targets for 63 yards and one touchdown.

• There was, however, another notable rookie breakout on the Seahawks as Jake Bobo tallied a season-high snap percentage and route participation, catching five of four targets for 61 yards and a catch-of-the-year candidate touchdown grab.

• Kenneth Walker was the only running back on the roster to record a carry in the absence of rookie Zach Charbonnet.

• Walker tallied 105 yards on 26 attempts, catching two of three targets for six yards.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Blundering Buccaneers

• The Buccaneers offense sputtered against a surprisingly stout Falcons defense, managing just 256 passing yards and a menially ineffective 73 rushing yards.

• Rachaad White is averaging just 44.3 rushing yards per game (3.2 YPC) and 27.2 receiving yards per game despite boasting a top-10 opportunity share amongst running backs this season.

Tennessee Titans: *BYE WEEK*

Washington Commanders: Howell Hinders Offensive Output

• Sam Howell completed just 22 of 42 pass attempts with zero touchdowns, throwing one interception while absorbing six sacks in the Commanders Week 7 loss to the Tyrod Taylor-led Giants.

• Terry McLaurin was a surprisingly bright light on an otherwise horrendously dark offensive outing as the star wideout collected six receptions for 90 yards.

• Rookie running back Chris Rodriguez led the Commanders with 31 rushing yards on seven attempts.

• Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson both earned eight targets with Dotson finally outdoing his veteran teammate to a tune of five receptions for 43 yards compared to Samuel’s four receptions for 25 yards.

Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.

You can find my other works as the Lead Writer and DOC at Broto Fantasy Football.

The Fantasy Football by Broto app is now live on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store! Download it today for a start sit tool, player cards, statistics, usage, rankings, interactive tools, coaching tendencies, and much, much more. FREE for a limited time.

Check out patreon.com/Brotofantasy to access extra episodes, join our community, win prizes, and help keep the app free.

By Matt Ward