Fantasy football Week 7 QB preview: Kirk Cousins earns trust, Patrick Mahomes faces tough matchup

Everything you need to know about Week 7 quarterbacks, including Kirk Cousins, Patrick Mahomes, rankings and DFS picks

Oct 20, 2026 at 3:05 pm ET • 2 min read

Heading into Week 7, I project eight quarterbacks as true must-start options. Only a couple of them were drafted to be such. Drake Maye, Jordan Love, Jared Goff, Brock Purdy, Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Bryce Young, and C.J. Stroud all projected for at least 21.8 Fantasy points in a standard CBS league. If Lamar Jackson returns from his ankle injury, he joins them. And while they don't project as such, I would guess that most people who have Caleb Williams and Dak Prescott will start them as well, despite the fact that Williams has a bad matchup and Prescott is coming off a stinker. Another QB with a bad matchup, Kirk Cousins, may be working his way into this conversation as well.

Cousins has thrown multiple touchdown passes in five of six games this season and leads the NFL with 14 passing touchdowns. He's also averaging 263 passing yards per game, despite only throwing for 170 in an easy season-opener against the Dolphins. There won't be anything easy about Week 7. Cousins faces a Rams defense that hasn't allowed any QB to throw for more than 218 yards. Still, he is a better option than Patrick Mahomes or anyone you will find on the waiver wire. Cousins won't be listed in the waiver wire section below because he is rostered in 75% of leagues, but if you find him available in your league, you should be adding him.

Let's get to the rest of the preview:

Week 7 QB Preview

QB Preview

Numbers to know

• 24.07 -- The Chiefs and Seahawks have given up a combined 24.07 Fantasy points per game to QBs. You should sit both Sam Darnold and Patrick Mahomes.
• 48 -- Tanner McKee had 48 dropbacks in his first start. That's nearly four more than any other starter has averaged this year.
• 243 -- J.J. McCarthy threw for 243 yards in Week 6 despite playing just 40% of the offensive snaps. You don't want to start him against Houston, but if he gets and keeps the job, he could be a good start against bad defenses later in the year.
• 213 -- Jayden Daniels ranks second amongst QBs with 213 rushing yards despite only playing four games so far. He is a must hold even with Terry McLaurin going down.
• 3.23 -- Caleb Williams' time to throw was 3.23 seconds in Week 6. That was still the fifth-highest mark, but it is a step in the right direction.
• 10 -- Tyler Shough has 10 red zone passing touchdowns, tied with Kirk Cousins for the most in the league.
• 309.8 -- Bryce Young leads the NFL with 309.8 passing yards per game.
• 100.9 -- C.J. Stroud has a passer rating of 100.9 this season, which would be a career high if he maintains it.

QB Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Adds/Streamers (QB Preview)

PIT Pittsburgh • #8 Age: 42 • Experience: 22 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ NO PIT -3.5 O/U 44.5 OPP VS QB 20th QB RNK 11th ROSTERED 56% YTD Stats PAYDS 1487 RUYDS 17 TD 12 INT 5 FPTS/G 20.6 Rodgers faces the Saints defense that just got shredded by J.J. McCarthy in the fourth quarter and hasn't been particularly good all season. Rodgers himself has been up and down but he is throwing the ball nearly 40 times per game and has a pair of good receivers in DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard. He is mostly a bye week replacement, but I would start him over Patrick Mahomes this week.

CLE Cleveland • #4 Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ TEN CLE -1.5 O/U 38.5 OPP VS QB 10th QB RNK 18th ROSTERED 27% YTD Stats PAYDS 1174 RUYDS 196 TD 7 INT 2 FPTS/G 17.1 If you miss out on Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson is my favorite streaming option in Week 6. Watson has rushed for at least 22 yards in every game, which boosts his ceiling and his floor and has been decent as a passer when he has time. Watson plays the Titans this week, who rank in the bottom third of the league in pressure rate, so he should have more time than he's used to.

One To Stash (QB Preview)

NYG N.Y. Giants • #9
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ HOU HOU -9.5 O/U 43	OPP VS QB 22nd	QB RNK NR	ROSTERED 5%

YTD Stats
PAYDS 243	RUYDS 28	TD 1	INT 1	FPTS/G 9.3

This is a longer term stash because the Giants play Houston this week then have a bye. But I expect McCarthy to be their quarterback in the second half of the season and could see starting him against the Commanders in Week 10 and the Colts in Week 12. Way down the road, the Giants get the Lions in the Fantasy semifinals and Cowboys in Week 17. McCarthy could be a top 12 QB both of those weeks.

QB Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Projections powered by Sportsline

GB Green Bay • #10
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP @ DET DET -3 O/U 53.5	OPP VS QB 32nd	PROJ PTS 21.8	QB RNK 1st

YTD Stats
PAYDS 1684	RUYDS 10	TD 12	INT 4	FPTS/G 22.1

The Lions and the Packers play in Week 7 and this game should be the chalk stack of the week with an over/under of 53.5. Love has multiple touchdowns every week this season and has thrown for more than 275 yards in four of his six starts. He should make it five of seven in this shootout.

Contrarian DFS Play

Projections powered by Sportsline

QB Preview

Heath's projections

My full set of Week 7 Fantasy football projections for every position is here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 7. Projected stats for all starting quarterbacks are available and will be updated throughout the week as I make changes.