Throughout this fantasy football season, we've touched on many areas in this weekly space, including potential trades to consider, players to cut, scheme trends, under-the-radar targets for deeper leagues and more. We mix it up here. Now that we're at the halfway point of the season, let's focus on the positives, the situations where the arrow is pointing up.
We'll start with a rushing attack that flipped the switch coming out of the bye week. We have a big-name quarterback who is playing his best football of the season, seeing it fast and delivering the ball on time, in an offense that has adjusted to fit its personnel. And there's a familiar name in a position to win the fantasy scoring title.
Bears' upgraded rushing attack
The Chicago Bears and coach Ben Johnson came out of the bye in Week 5 with a dedicated effort to run the football. The foundational concepts didn't change. It's still zone, some gap and perimeter schemes. But this was about winning the edges and creating a more consistent offensive tempo -- on the ground.
The result? D'Andre Swift has produced back-to-back games with at least 20 fantasy points and 100 yards rushing, behind an offensive line that is creating movement up front. And Swift looks different, too. He's much more decisive as a runner. Hit that downhill track and go. Plus, managers still get some PPR upside with Swift, as he is averaging 2.7 receptions per game.
With the uptick in the team's rushing volume, which also opened the door for No. 2 RB Kyle Monangai to get touches (17.4 points in Week 7 vs. New Orleans Saints), we have seen a recent dip in numbers for wide receiver Rome Odunze, who had only 5.0 targets per game over the past two, compared to 8.8 targets in his first four. Odunze has also failed to produce more than six points in back-to-back weeks, so this is trend to keep an eye on along with the play of quarterback Caleb Williams.
For Swift managers, however, this recent run of production, plus the upcoming schedule (@BAL, @CIN, NYG), puts him in the fringe RB1 range.
Patrick Mahomes is playing his best football since 2022
Daniel Dopp explains why Patrick Mahomes is a Week 7 fantasy football winner.
Mahomes has averaged 27.9 PPG over his past four contests and he's playing like a 1980s point guard in Andy Reid's offense. Mahomes has been a facilitator in the quick passing game, and his creative ability still shows up on second-reaction throws and scrambles.
During this four-game window, Mahomes has thrown 11 touchdowns (with only one interception), plus he's completing 71.3% of his passes. And he's getting the ball out in a hurry, with an average time of 2.60 seconds before passing (fourth fastest over the past four weeks). He's running the ball, too, with at least 28 yards rushing in three of his past four games along with a touchdown in two of them.
Another thing worth noting is Mahomes has averaged only 6.7 air yards per attempt during this stretch. Limited vertical throws here. Instead, he's targeting the crossers, pivots, short outbreakers and screens. Those routes are an easy fit for wide receiver Rashee Rice, who returned from suspension in Week 7 to catch seven of 10 targets for 42 yards and two scores (23.2 points). Move him up in the ranks.
Does this style of play continue for Mahomes? I think it does. More zone coverage from opposing defenses, with Mahomes taking the throws that are available. Lots of catch-and-run targets, while Mahomes picks his spots to produce as a runner.
Christian McCaffrey's ascending upside
The tape from the San Francisco 49ers' Sunday night win over the Atlanta Falcons says a lot about Kyle Shanahan's run game. Yes, McCaffrey saw heavy volume again (season-high 24 carries), but the rushing efficiency jumped (5.6 YPC). The explosive plays, too (seven rushes of 10 or more yards). And having tight end George Kittle back on the field -- as a tone-setting run blocker -- is a game changer for CMC.
Remember, in Weeks 1 through 6, McCaffrey averaged just 3.1 YPC, with a total of six rushes of 10 or more yards. That's it ... limited daylight and runways to get north/south with the ball.
Kittle, along with that offensive line, changed the narrative versus Atlanta, while McCaffrey (129 yards rushing, two touchdowns) looked explosive in a system that creates numbers and blocking angles to the play side.
With the bump in rushing production, plus the elite dual-threat element he brings to fantasy lineups (7.6 receptions per game), McCaffrey has even more upside heading into the second half of the season. That's saying something since his 187.1 total fantasy points already leads the league.
Colts' explosive offense
Daniel Dopp details why he is all-in on the Colts' fantasy production from Jonathan Taylor, Daniel Jones, Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren.
The Indianapolis Colts lead the NFL in scoring at 32.1 PPG. So, how are they doing it? Let's start with the scheme and the quarterback, as coach Shane Steichen's system has elevated the level of play for Daniel Jones (20.0 PPG, QB7). Jones is a natural distributor in this offense, throwing with timing and location to all levels of the field, and he's heating up with multiple touchdown passes in three straight games.
What about Jonathan Taylor and the offensive line? There are some big numbers here. Taylor (25.6 PPG) leads the NFL with 10 rushing touchdown, and his 18 carries of 10 or more yards are tops in the league. Plus, he has 23 receptions on the season. He's in the conversation with McCaffrey and Bijan Robinson as the top fantasy running back.
I probably could write an entire piece on rookie tight end Tyler Warren, who has averaged 14.5 PPG (TE3). A rugged mover after the catch, with formation flex, Warren has upgraded this pass game as a matchup/schemed target for Jones. At wide receiver, Michael Pittman Jr. remains a high-floor flex/WR3, and he's finding the end zone, with a touchdown reception in five of seven games played. Meanwhile, Josh Downs has the lateral quickness to produce from the slot. And let's not forget about Alec Pierce, a high-ceiling option in deeper leagues due to his vertical stretch ability (19.8 YPC).
Earlier in the season, I would have pushed back on the Colts hype. But seven weeks in? This is one of the best offenses in the league. And if I needed to make a trade to upgrade my roster, this would be one of the first places to look. The Colts have a lot of guys playing really good football. And that should continue in Week 8 versus the Tennessee Titans.
Joe Flacco's impact on Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins
In his two starts since being traded to Cincinnati, Flacco has thrown 92 passes. That's a big number. Sure, game flow played a role in matchups with Green Bay and Pittsburgh, but can we really count on the Bengals defense to dictate tempo moving forward? Probably not. And while Flacco is always capable of having a multi-interception game, which includes very questionable decision-making, he is getting the ball to his top two receivers at an extremely high rate.
We all know that Chase went off in last Thursday's game against the Steelers: 23 targets, 16 receptions, 161 yards receiving and a score (38.1 points). He lit up that Pittsburgh secondary ... and Flacco just kept throwing him the ball. That felt like watching a 7-on-7 session. And if we include Chase's late-game production versus the Packers in Week 6, he has averaged 31.6 PPG with Flacco at QB.
The volume is lower with Higgins, but he's been in the mix here, too. Higgins has caught 11 of 18 targets (including three red zone targets) for 158 yards and a score. But with at least eight targets in each game, his value is also up given the Bengals' offensive approach with Flacco.
The way I see it, Chase is back to being an elite, top-three fantasy option, while Higgins can be viewed as a top-20 receiver based on the weekly matchup. And the Bengals will continue to throw the ball.