Fantasy Football 2018: Best flex players not to miss in Week 7

It’s getting harder to nail your Fantasy Football lineups as a new offense explodes each week. We are here to help, diving down the rabbit hole to find the best flex players for NFL Week 7.

NFL Week 6 was an up-and-down fantasy football week for us. We each hit on one of our flex selections, but it was the first week all season where we each completely whiffed on a second selection. It is hard to find non Austin Ekeler flex players to rely on. And even Ekeler put up a ho-hum six points in Week 6. For the first time this season, he didn’t catch a single pass in a game. With random offenses around the NFL continually exploding each week, six points won’t cut it.

We are at the halfway point of the Fantasy Football 2018 season, so its do or die time for most teams. You need to win this week to stay in the playoff conversation. Don’t whiff on your flex players. We’ve scoured the rankings for the hidden gems.

These are your best flex players not to miss in Fantasy Football 2018 for Week 7. Two running backs and two wide receivers you can’t miss. Check out the current flex rankings on Fantasy Pros for the dirt on every player.

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate Fantasy Football 2018 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Todd Salem’s Top Flex Plays:

Ito Smith and Raheem Mostert were popular waiver adds this week for changing running back depth charts in Atlanta and San Francisco respectively. I wouldn’t yet trust either one. Smith has been relying exclusively on touchdowns and nothing more, while the 49ers still have three backs that could take charge any given week. Instead, I’m looking toward a running back veteran in Week 7.

Frank Gore, RB

Gore hasn’t exactly been good this year. He finally put together a nice game last week. But what he has been, despite inclinations and assumptions to the contrary, is Miami’s lead back. Kenyan Drake has out-carried Gore only twice this season: the first two games of the season.

Since then, Gore has been the lead ball carrier. In his past two games, the veteran is averaging 6.1 yards per carry. And this week, his Dolphins are facing the third-worst overall defense and sixth-worst run defense in the sport.

Drake still ranks much higher than Gore in RB and flex rankings, but I don’t see it. While Gore is a zero in the passing game, Drake has only had one good game in that regard all year. This isn’t a case of the old man holding the young guy back. It is the old guy being consistently more reliable for carries and yardage. And despite not yet reaching the endzone on the ground, Gore is being given more than half of the team’s carries inside the 10-yard line.

Antonio Callaway, WR

Callaway’s standing as a breakout wide receiver this season is all but over. He hasn’t reached the endzone since Week 2, leads the team in drops, and hasn’t caught more than four balls all year. But there are inklings that a breakout game could be just around the corner.

Baker Mayfield is trying to develop an offense as he learns the league, yet loses receivers to injuries each week. One thing Callaway has consistently garnered is targets from Mayfield. He has 35 over the past four weeks and is the team’s clear second-option on the outside after Jarvis Landry.

With Rashard Higgins down with a sprained MCL, the Browns will need Callaway even more. And it couldn’t come at a better time. Cleveland faces Tampa Bay in Week 7, the worst defense in the NFL according to DVOA.

Dan Salem’s Top Flex Plays:

Christian Kirk, WR

Kirk has quickly become Josh Rosen‘s favorite target in Arizona’s passing game. On the surface that may seem like a forgettable fact, but someone on every team gets the majority of targets and therefore puts up the fantasy numbers. For the Cardinals, that person is now Kirk. His number aren’t flashy, but I like his general improvement and the favoritism shown by Rosen.

Arizona gets Denver this week, who has not been playing well. The Broncos’ defense is nowhere near what we thought it was in September, meaning the Cardinals can once again stay competitive. This opens the door for Kirk to shine in week 7.

Lamar Miller, RB

Miller is in a similar position as Kirk. His fantasy numbers have been mediocre so far, but he’s still garnering 10-15 touches a game in Houston’s offense. The end zone has eluded him, but after the Cowboys shredded Jacksonville last weekend, I expect the Texans to have success running the football this week as well.

Miller will be the beneficiary of his team’s success, and his fantasy numbers will reflect this. He is going to get his opportunities, so it’s worth betting that the Jaguars can’t slow him down. They haven’t been stopping much of anyone lately.