Week 7 Fantasy Football: Instant Sunday Recap

Sometimes fantasy football math boils down to addition by subtraction. It certainly seems that way after this Sunday's action.

The Seattle Seahawks become a passing machine after the sudden trade of Percy Harvin. Denard Robinson, Tre Mason, Owen Daniels and Odell Beckham Jr. all step forward after losses ahead of them on the depth chart. They looked even better than the guys who preceded them too!

Meanwhile, in the cases of busts like C.J. Spiller and Kirk Cousins, we might not miss them as fantasy options.

Bleacher Report recaps the five surprising studs and duds: 

Five Week 7 Surprising Studs

QB Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Who needs Harvin anyway? Wilson had one of his finest fantasy games yet with 313 yards passing, two passing touchdowns, 106 yards rushing and a rushing score. It was a game for the ages, the first time a player has passed for 300 yards and rushed for 100 in the same game, according to Nick Eaton of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Wilson not only made his loyal fantasy owners happy—he was active in only 55 percent of CBSSports.com leagues—he made fantasy gems out of wide receiver Doug Baldwin (seven catches for 123 yards and a TD) and unknown tight end Cooper Helfet (three catches for 61 yards and a TD).

The best news about Wilson right now, save for his ability to make everyone around him better, is the fact the Seahawks defense isn't playing at its championship level, and neither is Marshawn Lynch (18 carries for just 53 yards). This puts a lot of the scoring pressure on Wilson, who can carry the fantasy scoring load on the ground or through the air, regardless of which pieces are around him, apparently.

"I really don't want to run, to be honest with you," Wilson told The Associated Press as Eaton reported. "I'm trying to throw it all the time and keep my eyes down the field."

Clearly we have to consider Wilson a must-start quarterback in all leagues right now.

RB Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Speaking of running quarterbacks, how about the breakthrough of former Michigan signal-caller Robinson with the Jags? He has proved he can be a feature back now.

With Toby Gerhart (foot) out and Storm Johnson proving mostly ineffective, scoring only in garbage time Sunday, Robinson took off for 127 yards rushing on 22 carries. The O.W. (offensive weapon) was in full effect, and he told ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco:

"

I came in not even knowing what position I was going to play, and they told me I was going to play running back. I didn't know how to do it—how to make the right steps to come off, how to block a guy or anything like that. I had to work on how to get the ball in the backfield because I was used to getting the ball from the gun. It's a big difference.

"

Robinson has caught on now, and he might not let go as the Jags' lead back even when the plodding Gerhart is healthy again. Robinson, owned in just 6 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, should be the most-added player in fantasy this week.

RB Tre Mason, St. Louis Rams

Where have you gone, Zac Stacy? To the bench, perhaps never to return, thanks to the back-to-back weeks rookie Mason has put together.

Mason rushed for 85 yards against a very tough Seahawks run defense, adding a touchdown on one of his 18 carries. Stacy, who wasn't held up by injury, didn't register a touch. Ouch.

Mason, owned in less than one-fifth of CBSSports.com leagues, was active in just 1 percent there. Expect his usage and ownership to climb as the weeks wear on. We figured Stacy would struggle in tough matchups like the Seahawks, but not getting a touch is a sign of something more significant.

Mason and Stacy will still have to deal with Benny Cunningham vulturing touches and touchdowns, but Mason is the Rams back to own going forward. You might even want Stacy active for a tough game against the Kansas City Chiefs run defense next week.

TE Owen Daniels, Baltimore Ravens

Daniels has been lost a bit in the shuffle, but his six catches for 58 yards and a touchdown Sunday should make him one of the must-start fantasy tight ends on a regular basis from now on. Joe Flacco and the Ravens are tight end-friendly, Dennis Pitta (hip) is out of the equation for the season and Daniels has ramped up as the go-to man in Pitta's stead.

But don't take our word for it. Take Flacco's, who told The Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson after Sunday's game:

"

He's a nice big target. He's a good player. He gets himself open. He gets leverage on guys. He knows when to sit in holes, so you can trust when he is doing something that you can put the ball on and nobody is going to undercut him or anything like that. And he makes catches in traffic. He obviously has held onto the ball a lot of times while getting hit by two guys, even one in the end zone. So, yes, I have a lot of confidence throwing to him.

"

Fantasy owners need to show more confidence in starting Daniels at the roller-coaster position. Daniels will prove steady week to week, getting targets and points. He is still available in more than 40 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, too.

WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

You might not want to pick up Beckham before the Giants' Week 8 bye, but the rookie burner looks more than capable of picking up the points Victor Cruz (knee) has left behind. Beckham registered four catches for 34 yards, two touchdowns and 13 yards rushing. 

And only one-quarter of CBSSports.com's leagues had him active for it.

Eli Manning and the Giants are not going to be consistent offensively or defensively, but Beckham is going to get his chances to emerge out of Cruz's season-long absence. He is one of the few waiver-wire options you will have to add and stash going into his bye week because he won't be available coming out of it.

Five Week 7 Duds

TE Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints

Graham (shoulder) was able to play Sunday, but he didn't register a target until the fourth quarter, according to Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune. It was not quite the production you hoped for from your first-round pick, particularly playing him under the notion he would get targets in the red zone.

Our advice here will be consistent, though: If Graham is active, he should start in fantasy. Expect him to be active and get in the end zone next Sunday night at home against the Green Bay Packers.

WR Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears

This listing isn't about lamenting Marshall's mere six catches for 48 yards Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. It is about the damage Marshall might have done afterward.

Marshall reportedly called out quarterback Jay Cutler in the locker room after the game, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. This cannot sit well with the struggling Bears and the sometimes fiery Cutler, who is still the one who makes the split-second decision on whether Marshall gets targets on game days.

Marshall told Wright about the exchange behind closed doors:

"

OK, were you in here? Were you in this locker room? This is a team matter. That has nothing to do with you. There's a lot of guys this means a lot to. We're 3-4. We need to play better. That's unacceptable. That's unacceptable. Unacceptable; shouldn't have lost today, shouldn't be 3-4. [The] offense [has] got to play better. It's as simple as that.

"

It could be that Marshall was merely leading a crusade to ignite the Bears. It is more likely he was doing more damage than good. It might be time to deal Marshall. Perhaps sell it to someone as, "He's ready to go off at the New England Patriots next week!"

We should know better. Marshall will probably get the silent treatment on the field from Cutler and the Bears. You have to love Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett in that event.

RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills

Here is the silver lining of Spiller's reportedly season-ending broken collarbone, according to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora: At least you won't be hamstrung to stick with the disappointing running back any longer. You can cut him and not have to deal with his lack of usage any longer.

Spiller's loss comes along with Fred Jackson's. The latter is already ruled out for Week 8, according to La Canfora.

This should make Bryce Brown intriguing off waivers. Brown was inactive Sunday, but he is more likely to be a starter than slow veteran Anthony Dixon.

Brown is a good back with fumbling issues, and he was merely kept in reserve with Jackson carrying the load and Spiller being the change-of-pace guy. Head coach Doug Marrone spoke to the notion Brown was inactive because he was in the team's doghouse for some unreported reason, telling ESPN.com's Mike Rodak, "I have no problem bringing up Bryce. We talked about him last week—which I hope wasn't a jinx."

The Bills face a beleaguered Jets defense that has been ripped on the ground by Branden Oliver, Ronnie Hillman and the New England Patriots the past three games.

RB Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals

Just when we thought we could count on Bernard to make good on some huge promise, he goes out and posts a mere seven carries for 17 yards against the Indianapolis Colts defense. It was an eye-opening performance on the Colts' end, but the Bengals offense, including Andy Dalton, looks inept.

Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson might wind up doing great things in the power-running game for Bernard and rookie Jeremy Hill, but the overall production of the offense has to be questioned after this performance in Indy. That isn't exactly an elite defense.

Bernard and the Bengals have the Baltimore Ravens up next. Bernard is going to be a tricky play if you have healthy alternatives for him in an unfavorable matchup.

QB Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

My what a difference a few weeks can make in the life of being an NFL starting quarterback. Cousins was the toast of the capitol at times. Now, he might not have to worry about a life as starting quarterback.

Colt McCoy rescued the struggling Redskins on Sunday, as Cousins was benched after a mere 139 yards and an interception. The Redskins might have to consider starting McCoy, at least until Robert Griffin III (ankle) is ready to return. 

Coach Jay Gruden explained his decision to yank Cousins to Mike Jones of The Washington Post:

"

After the interception, we decided to go with Colt. I thought after the interception—turning the ball over—we talked about accountability, ball security. That was a standard pass play that we've run for a long, long time, and he threw it right to him, unfortunately, and I decided to go with Colt in the second half.

It was just a bad throw and a bad situation, and I just thought Colt has earned the right to get an opportunity if Kirk struggled in the first half turning the ball over. That's the basic reason. Had I not thought Colt had been ready, I would've stuck with Kirk, but I just thought Colt was ready to go. I know he felt ready. He's been champing at the bit to play, but he's always been a supportive backup in this time. When his number was called, he produced.

"

Gruden told The Post's Isabelle Khurshudyan next week's starter for Monday Night Football at the Dallas Cowboys will hinge on RG3's status.

"

You'd like to have your decision made as soon as possible because you have to get them ready. You throw Robert in the mix, and Robert's got a chance to practice on Wednesday, so we'll have to see where he is. I think it starts with him and where he is health-wise, then from there, I'll try to make a decision after watching the tape about what I'm going to do moving forward to Dallas.

"

Adding Griffin to fantasy leagues is a must right now. It is only a matter of time before he has his job back, and the performance of the Seahawks' Wilson just might be a glimmer of hope of what RG3 can do for fantasy owners down the stretch.

Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.