Fantasy Football Week 7 Rankings: Last-Minute Outlook for Flex Players

The flex position may be the most overlooked spot on your fantasy football roster, but it can also be the most important.

It gives you an opportunity to find that third running back or wide receiver who is poised for a big day because of matchups or recent momentum in the offense. It is also a chance to flex your fantasy football muscles because picking your top options at running back and wide receiver is often the easiest part of the week.

It’s finding that third one that can be tricky. 

With that in mind, here is a look at the top 40 running back and wide receiver flex plays for Week 7, as well as some deeper analysis on a few of the intriguing options.

Rank	Player	Position	Team	Opponent
1	DeMarco Murray	RB	DAL	NYG
2	Jordy Nelson	WR	GB	CAR
3	Marshawn Lynch	RB	SEA	STL
4	Matt Forte	RB	CHI	MIA
5	Demaryius Thomas	WR	DEN	SF
6	Arian Foster	RB	HOU	PIT
7	Le'Veon Bell	RB	PIT	HOU
8	Jamaal Charles	RB	KC	SD
9	Antonio Brown	WR	PIT	HOU
10	Dez Bryant	WR	DAL	NYG
11	Giovani Bernard	RB	CIN	IND
12	Andre Ellington	RB	AZ	OAK
13	Alshon Jeffery	WR	CHI	MIA
14	Brandon Marshall	WR	CHI	MIA
15	Branden Oliver	RB	SD	KC
16	Steve Smith	WR	BAL	ATL
17	Julio Jones	WR	ATL	BAL
18	Ben Tate	RB	CLE	JAC
19	T.Y. Hilton	WR	IND	CIN
20	Golden Tate	WR	DET	NO
21	Eddie Lacy	RB	GB	CAR
22	Alfred Morris	RB	WAS	TEN
23	Randall Cobb	WR	GB	CAR
24	Mike Wallace	WR	MIA	CHI
25	Lamar Miller	RB	MIA	CHI
26	DeSean Jackson	WR	WAS	TEN
27	Justin Forsett	RB	BAL	ATL
28	Andre Williams	RB	NYG	DAL
29	Rueben Randle	WR	NYG	DAL
30	Mohamed Sanu	WR	CIN	IND
31	Brandin Cooks	WR	NO	DET
32	Jerick McKinnon	RB	MIN	BUF
33	Emmanuel Sanders	WR	DEN	SF
34	Sammy Watkins	WR	BUF	MIN
35	Fred Jackson	RB	BUF	MIN
36	Michael Floyd	WR	AZ	OAK
37	Andre Johnson	WR	HOU	PIT
38	Ronnie Hillman	RB	DEN	SF
39	Reggie Wayne	WR	IND	CIN
40	Ahmad Bradshaw	RB	IND	CIN

WR Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

I'm so high on Jordy Nelson this week that I picked him as the No. 2 overall flex play ahead of a number of elite running backs.

It’s hard not to be high on the NFL’s leading receiver with 632 yards on 43 catches. Aaron Rodgers loves to throw the ball Nelson’s way, as evidenced by his 68 targets, which are 28 more than Randall Cobb, who is second on the team with 40. That gap of 28 targets between Nelson and Cobb is even more impressive when you consider the fact that no other receiver on the Green Bay Packers even has 28 targets in total.

The high number of opportunities is not the only reason Nelson will thrive in Week 7.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

His opponent, Carolina, has given up 13 touchdown catches in the last five road games and is 20th in the league against the pass at 252.3 yards per game. Mohamed Sanu just finished with 120 receiving yards and a touchdown against Carolina, and Alshon Jeffery tallied 97 receiving yards and a touchdown the game before against the Panthers.

It also doesn’t hurt to have Rodgers slinging you the ball against a vulnerable secondary. Panthers safety Roman Harper sang Rodgers’ praises, via Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com.

"Nobody has the mobility and the arm strength of this guy," Harper said. "He has the ability to make all the throws. Fifty, 60 yards down the field, there is no throw he can't make. There is no deep coverage you don't have to be on top of. He's everything that everybody says he is."

Carolina may be aware of Rodgers, but that doesn’t mean it will stop him from connecting with Nelson for at least one score. Rodgers to Nelson is basically clockwork every single week.

WR T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Michael Fabiano of NFL.com likes T.Y. Hilton against the Cincinnati Bengals secondary:

"

Hilton is coming off a huge game against the Houston Texans, but I can't promise another 200-yard performance. However, you have to like this trend...in Hilton's last three home games against the AFC, he has recorded a combined 26 catches for 350 yards. The Bengals have also allowed 637 yards to wideouts in two road games in 2014.

"

Fabiano wasn’t kidding about that huge game against the Houston Texans. Hilton finished with 223 receiving yards and a touchdown and seemingly won plenty of fantasy games by himself on a Thursday night. Hilton also has the red-hot Andrew Luck throwing him the ball and has been targeted at least nine times in every game this year but one.

If one of the best quarterbacks in the league is consistently looking your way, you are going to rack up fantasy points.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

It also helps Hilton’s case in Week 7 that the Cincinnati Bengals are 22nd in the league against the pass (257.4 yards per game) and have looked like a shell of themselves defensively the past couple of games. In fact, Cincinnati allowed a combined 80 points to the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers the last two contests. 

Hilton has more momentum than any receiver in the league after his incredible Week 6 performance and faces a reeling secondary. He should tally impressive fantasy numbers.

RB Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals

Andre Ellington had 25 touches in Week 6 for the Arizona Cardinals, largely because quarterback Carson Palmer was still working his way back from injury.

Ellington clearly needs to get the ball to make a fantasy impact, and it looks like that will happen more often moving forward.

While the increased opportunity is certainly important, Ellington’s true value in Week 7 comes in the form of his opponent. The Oakland Raiders have given up 153.6 rushing yards and four touchdowns in three home games this year and rank an abysmal 31st in the league against the rush (149.8 yards per game).

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

The Raiders also got torched by Branden Oliver the last time out, while Lamar Miller found the end zone twice against the Raiders in the game before that one. 

Fantasy owners have been waiting for Ellington to break out all season. They will finally be rewarded Sunday against the very beatable Oakland defense.

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