Fantasy Football Week 7 Rankings: Updated Positional Breakdown for Flex and PPR

Choosing which players to start during bye-week season is a tough decision every fantasy football enthusiast faces. That choice can become even more difficult in a gameweek during a season like this one.

In Week 7, the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers are on byes. This means that fantasy stars like Christian McCaffrey, Chris Carson, Mike Evans, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr., James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuter are unavailable.

Because of the injuries that keep cropping up in 2019, players like Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Davante Adams, Sterling Shepard, Alvin Kamara, Tyrell Williams and A.J. Green are also out.

Which players can you rely on in Week 7? Here you will find a look the top 50 flex options—based on PPR scoring—along with some potential sleepers and waiver-wire options.

Top 50 Week 7 Flex Rankings, PPR

1. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

2. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

3. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

4. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

5. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

6. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

7. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

8. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

9. Michael Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints

10. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

11. Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets

12. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

13. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

14. T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

15. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

16. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

17. DJ Chark Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

18. Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas  Cowboys

19. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

20. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

21. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

22. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

23. Austin Hooper, TE, Atlanta Falcons

24. Will Fuller, WR, Houston Texans

25. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

26. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

27. Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants

28. John Brown, WR, Buffalo Bills

29. Golden Tate, WR, New York Giants

30. Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders

31. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

32. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

33. Mark Ingram, RB, Baltimore Ravens

34. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons

35. Kerryon Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

36. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

37. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

38. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Redskins

39. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts

40. Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers

41. Tevin Coleman, RB, San Francisco 49ers

42. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

43. Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears

44. James White, RB, New England Patriots

45. Matt Breida, RB, San Francisco 49ers

46. Darren Waller, TE, Oakland Raiders

47. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

48. Carlos Hyde, RB, Houston Texans

49. Latavius Murray, RB, New Orleans Saints

50. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Latavius Murray, RB, New Orleans Saints

There's a chance New Orleans Saints running back Latavius Murray will not be available on the waiver wire, but it's worth checking to make sure. According to FantasyPros, he's still available in 35 percent of Yahoo leagues and 48 percent of ESPN leagues.

Murray is worth scooping up for Week 7 because the Saints are going to be without star running back Alvin Kamara.

Murray faces a tough matchup against the Chicago Bears defense that is allowing just 83 rushing yards per game. However, if he's used in the passing game similarly to how the Saints have used Kamara, he will be worth a start based on PPR value.

Kamara has averaged a little more than five receptions per game.

Auden Tate, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Will Newton/Getty Images

A player more likely to be available is Cincinnati Bengals receiver Auden Tate. He's only owned in 34 percent of Yahoo leagues and 38 percent of ESPN leagues, according to FantasyPros.

Tate, a 2018 seventh-round draft pick, has emerged as Cincinnati's No. 2 receiver in the weeks since John Ross was placed on injured reserve. He's averaged four receptions per game over the past three weeks and is coming off a five-catch, 90-yard outing.

The Bengals host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, which makes for a fairly average matchup. The Jaguars rank 16th in pass defense, allowing an average of 241.5 yards per game through the air.

Consider Tate a low-end WR or flex play in Week 7 and a player worth stashing for future byes.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, New York Jets

Now that quarterback Sam Darnold has returned to the New York Jets, wideout Demaryius Thomas has some strong fantasy appeal. He has caught four passes in each of his past two games and is coming off a four-catch, 62-yard performance against the Dallas Cowboys.

Thomas doesn't have the easiest matchup against the New England Patriots, though he may be motivated to stick it to his former team.

"At the end of the day, I couldn't do anything for them," Thomas said of the Patriots, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. "Once I got traded here, I was happy to be back with Adam [Gase]."

Consider Thomas a low-end option against the Patriots, but he is worth picking up for future weeks. He is owned in just 6 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, according to FantasyPros.