FanDuel Fantasy Football: Week 7 Value Plays

Quarterback

Blake Bortles, JAC vs OAK ($7,400) – A 11.94 fantasy-point day from Bortles a week ago will get the masses off him especially with many other options that have attractive matchups. This is a game that is probably going to go under the radar despite starting with an over/under of 50. Bortles has a couple of factors working in his favor this week starting with a home game in Jacksonville. Secondly, he'll be facing a Raiders defense that has surrendered a league-worst 9.8 YPA to opposing quarterbacks, so don't be afraid to fire him up in either GPPs or cash games this week.

Landry Jones, PIT vs NE ($6,200) – Jones checks in as the cheapest quarterback on the slate and could turn into this week's Case Keenum. The skill set Jones possesses is nothing spectacular but it's the players around him that could make him a valuable fantasy commodity this week. Everyone knows how good Antonio Brown is and the return of Le'Veon Bell gives Jones a great option out of the backfield or in the slot. The backup tight ends (Xavier Grimble and Jesse James) have proven to be a steady force over the middle, as well, and if the Steelers hope to keep up with the Patriots, they're likely going to have to throw the ball.

Running Back

Jacquizz Rodgers, TB vs SF ($5,600) – Rodgers will likely be the most chalky running back play this week considering his price and that Doug Martin appears to be out for at least a few more weeks. Getting the start in their last game before the bye, Rodgers led the Buccaneers with 101 rushing yards and gained 28 more receiving. This matchup is as easy as they come for Tampa Bay as they face San Francisco. The 49ers have surrendered 187 points (37 per game) since their Week 1 shutout of the Rams and have given up 1,046 rushing yards (5.0 YPC). Don't think about fading him here in cash games.

Jay Ajayi, MIA vs BUF ($6,400) – This is a case where the price of the player hasn't caught up to their new role on offense. Ajayi exploded for over 200 rushing yards last week with two touchdowns and is expected to handle the bulk of the carries once again this week. This situation appears to be similar to Terrence West in Baltimore, who was given the bulk of the workload once he showed he was capable of being a low-end No.1 running back option in fantasy. Look for him to handle the lion's share of carries against a Bills team that ranks in the middle of the league in most defensive rushing categories. Spencer Ware ($7,400) is a little more expensive but is also a viable cash game option against the Saints at home.

Wide Receiver

Jeremy Maclin, KC vs NO ($6,800) – The over/under (50.5) isn't necessarily the surprise here given it's a game involving the Saints, but rather that the Chiefs are favored by almost a full touchdown (-6.5). The fact that Maclin had a season-low three targets last week should have owners completely off him, especially given what he's done on the season as a whole. This matchup sets up nicely for him, though, as the Saints should devote plenty into the box defensively in an attempt to slow down Spencer Ware and Jamaal Charles. That should open up coverage downfield for Alex Smith ($7,200) and Maclin as he works against a team that's given up the 10th most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

Adam Humphries, TB vs SF ($4,900) – Humphries is probably my favorite punt-play at wide receiver this week with Vincent Jackson out with a knee injury. Humphries will slide into the No.2 wide receiver role this week against the aforementioned lackluster 49ers defense. He'll benefit from seeing softer coverage opposite Mike Evans and has shown upside with a 14.9 fantasy-point performance already this season. Using Humphries this week will allow a lot of cap space to be used at the other positions.

Tight End

Hunter Henry, SD at ATL ($5,800) – Henry checks in as the ninth most expensive tight end and should still provide some nice value at this price. This game features the highest over/under this week, and he's clearly taken over as the better tight end option from Antonio Gates scoring 17.4, 14.9 and 14.1 fantasy points over his last three contests. Those numbers rank him in the top four at the position over that span. It helps that Atlanta is surrendering the fourth most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, too.

Kicker

Cairo Santos, KC vs NO ($4,800) – Picking a kicker is usually a crapshoot given it's tough to predict how many field goal attempts they'll get each week. This is shaping up to be a good spot for Santos with a big over/under total and the Chiefs as the favorite. Andy Reid tends to play it safe on fourth down, typically electing for field goals in his opponent's end. Santos' only miss this season was at Pittsburgh, one of the worst stadiums to kick in.

Defense

Philadelphia vs MIN ($4,400) – This really looks like a good week to pay up and just take the Bengals ($5,100) who get the banged-up Browns in Cincinnati. However, if you're looking for another play this week that'll be under the radar, think about the Eagles. They've scored at least 11 fantasy points in four of their five games this season and have done so by way of sacks, turnovers and defensive touchdowns. They've also got four interceptions and four fumble recoveries and will be at home.