Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season delivered a feast at running back and quarterback, with Tony Pollard turning in one of the biggest fantasy performances of the year and several signal-callers topping 24 points. The scoreboard rewarded rushing quarterbacks and touchdown-dependent backs, while a few expected stars came up short.
Must-Starts: Week 7 Elite Performers
Tony Pollard (TEN) — RB: 35.0 pts
Pollard carried for 129 yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 3 catches for 26 yards.
He was the clear league winner of the week. A 74.6% snap share meant he was on the field for nearly three of every four plays, and he converted that workload into three rushing scores. His 35.0 points outpaced every quarterback on the slate, which is nearly unheard of at his position.
Joe Burrow (CIN) — QB: 28.9 pts
Burrow threw for 292 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 12 rushing yards.
Playing 94.3% of the snaps, Burrow spread the ball around and posted the top quarterback score of the week. Four touchdown passes did the heavy lifting, and his supporting cast delivered, which is the next section's story as well.
Drake Maye (NE) — QB: 28.4 pts
Maye finished with 321 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, plus 26 rushing yards and a rushing score.
He never left the field, logging a 100.0% snap share, and the 321 passing yards were the highest total among all quarterbacks in the data. The rushing touchdown added a cushion on top of an already strong passing day. He also fed Rhamondre Stevenson through the air, which helped New England's backfield produce.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) — WR: 26.8 pts
Smith-Njigba hauled in 9 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, and added 13 rushing yards.
He topped every wide receiver on the board. A 76.8% snap share paired with nine receptions showed a heavily involved role, and the 150 receiving yards plus a score gave him both a safe floor and a big ceiling.
Strong Starts: Reliable Options
- Bo Nix (DEN, QB): 26.3 points on 222 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 74 rushing yards with a rushing score. The legs made the difference on a modest passing day.
- Malik Willis (MIA, QB): 26.0 points from 208 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 37 rushing yards with another score on the ground.
- Bucky Irving (TB, RB): 23.5 points on 106 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, working at a 58.7% snap share.
- Quinshon Judkins (CLE, RB): 22.9 points off 96 rushing yards and 2 scores, even with a 52.9% snap share.
- Tee Higgins (CIN, WR): 23.8 points on 6 catches, 148 yards, and a touchdown with an 86.8% snap share, the beneficiary of Burrow's four-touchdown day.
- Jameson Williams (DET, WR): 23.6 points on 5 catches for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns at an 83.8% snap rate.
Tough Sits: Disappointing Weeks
- Deshaun Watson (CLE, QB): He scored 19.2 points despite 308 passing yards, because he threw 0 touchdowns. The yardage looked strong, but the lack of passing scores capped his output well below the quarterbacks above him.
- Kirk Cousins (LV, QB): Cousins managed 20.4 points on 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, a respectable line that still sat 8.5 points behind Burrow. Without any rushing contribution beyond 6 yards, he lacked the extra upside that lifted the top tier.
- Christian McCaffrey (SF, RB): McCaffrey posted 19.0 points on just 39 rushing yards and 6 catches for 61 yards, playing only 51.5% of the snaps. A single rushing touchdown rescued the day, but the 39 rushing yards were a thin return for a lead back.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET, WR): He caught 9 passes for 153 yards yet scored only 19.7 points because he never reached the end zone, while teammate Jameson Williams scored twice and outscored him by 3.9 points.
- KC Concepcion Jr. (CLE, WR): Concepcion finished with 19.2 points on 8 catches and 129 yards. Despite a 78.6% snap share and strong volume, the lack of a touchdown kept him behind the receivers who found the end zone.
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