X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Rookies to Watch in Week 7: Rhamondre Stevenson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and more

Every week, this column will spotlight the first-year players who are ripe for a breakout performance. Oftentimes, rookies can provide some of the most value as under-the-radar options.

Last week, Dolphins rookie wideout Jaylen Waddle put forth his best outing as a professional, racking up 10 receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Other top first-year performers included Steelers running back Najee Harris, who had 127 scrimmage yards and a score, and Bears tailback Khalil Herbert, who accumulated 112 scrimmage yards and also reached paydirt. Evidently, rookies can be valuable assets to fantasy managers this early in their careers.

For dynasty leagues, this column should help identify ideal trade targets and prized stashes. For redraft managers, this column could provide the edge necessary for a championship run. Some of the players in this week's article are well-known, but others are sneaky sleepers.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

The Rumbling Volcano

Mac Jones (QB, NE)

Mac Jones has yet to finish a week higher than the QB17, and he still has not surpassed the 20-point threshold in typical fantasy leagues. However, the first-rounder out of Alabama gives off the impression that he's a rumbling volcano ready to erupt given the opportunity. That opportunity may very well be this week versus the woeful New York Jets. New England already faced the Jets in Week 2, and Jones finished that game with a lackluster 186-yard, zero-touchdown stat line. Nonetheless, he has shown enough flashes in recent weeks to suggest that a breakout performance is on the horizon. His aforementioned QB17 finish came last week versus Dallas on just 21 pass attempts, the fewest of his career to this point.

The Jets have surprisingly yielded the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks thus far, but a lot of that has been due to game script. With New York's offense becoming more competitive in recent weeks, Jones may have a chance to let loose for the full 60 minutes.

 

The Doghouse Escapee

Rhamondre Stevenson (RB, NE)

In the season opener, Rhamondre Stevenson lost a fumble on one of his two touches. Subsequently, head coach Bill Belichick made the Oklahoma product a healthy scratch for the next three weeks. Stevenson, a fourth-round rookie, returned to action in Week 5 though, and he received 11 carries for an inefficient 23 yards against Houston. However, Stevenson put forth 62 scrimmage yards on just eight touches last week versus Dallas, and he also reached the endzone on a short run.

The clear escalation in Stevenson's usage in the past two games demonstrates his status as a fantasy sleeper, even as he remains behind Damien Harris on the depth chart. He will need to avoid games with two yards per carry as he had in Houston if he wants to continue getting work, but the potential for a breakthrough is there. The New York Jets, his Week 7 opponent, have surrendered the second-most fantasy points to running backs in 2021.

 

The Cincinnati Avenger

Chris Evans (RB, CIN)

While Chris Evans may be a running back, he has done much more damage through the air than on the ground. Indeed, he has twice as many catches as carries, and he did not have his first touch on the ground until this past week versus Detroit. Speaking of the sixth-round rookie's Week 6 showing, Evans had the best game of his young career against the Lions, putting up 67 total yards and his first NFL touchdown.

The rookie from Michigan played last week as Cincinnati's number two option in the backfield after Samaje Perine was placed on the COVID reserve list. With his efficient play—his production premium, a measure of efficiency, ranks sixth at his position—he may have just taken Perine's spot in the pecking order. Another solid showing against Baltimore this week could cement that. At the very least, Evans will continue getting work in the passing game; he has the fourth-most slot snaps of all running backs.

Evans is only rostered in 1.9 percent of ESPN leagues. Fantasy managers, assemble.

 

The Inconsistent Producer

DeVonta Smith (WR, PHI)

DeVonta Smith's fantasy performances have been extremely boom-or-bust through the first six weeks of his career. In his best three games so far, Smith averaged seven catches for 90 yards. In his other three games, though, the Heisman winner from Alabama averaged a mere two grabs for 25 yards. One of those three poor games came last week against Tampa Bay, where Smith saw a career-low four targets.

Granted, a lot of this inconsistency is not his fault. His quarterback, Jalen Hurts, threw for a paltry 115 yards in Week 6; there's not much Smith can do about inadequate quarterback play. With a tough Raiders defense on tap in Week 7, it may be more likely that the tenth-overall pick has another quiet showing, but there's no saying for sure. Catch this game just to see which way the Philadelphia offense turns next.

 

The Ascending Lion

Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, DET)

In the preseason, Amon-Ra St. Brown received a lot of attention in fantasy circles for a fourth-round rookie, but the hype train quickly derailed after he totaled just six receptions in his first three games combined. Well, get ready to buy another ticket, because the second train is about to leave the station! St. Brown's three best games in catches, yards, and targets have all come in the past three weeks, and his two highest snap shares have been from his last two games. While Detroit may not be a fantasy hotbed, St. Brown is carving out a solid role in an offense that passes the ball the sixth-most frequently in the NFL. The rookie from USC has seen at least seven targets in each of his last three outings; watch his game versus the Rams to know if the streak will continue for another week.

 

The Athletic Phenom

Kyle Pitts (TE, ATL)

When we last saw Kyle Pitts, he dominated the New York Jets in London. His nine catches, 119 yards, and one touchdown made for his best game so far in his highly anticipated career. Pitts, who was the highest-drafted tight end in the modern era at fourth-overall, will be scrutinized this week in what could be an encore performance two weeks after his breakout.

According to PFF, Pitts' matchup against Miami safety Brandon Jones is the third-largest mismatch for a tight end this week, behind just Travis Kelce's and Tyler Higbee's matchups. While the Dolphins have been approximately league average in defending tight ends this season, they have yet to face one who is 6'6" and runs a 4.49 40-yard dash. Expect the former Florida Gator to turn in another top TE performance in Week 7.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP
10
9
11
10
12
19
13
22
14
24
15
25
16
33
17
39
18
40
19
41

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Gleyber Torres6 mins ago

Homers, Departs Early With Side Injury
Josh Jung11 mins ago

Pulled Early On Friday With Neck Stiffness
Orlando Arcia3 hours ago

Resting On Friday
Jake Rogers3 hours ago

Heading To The Bench
Miguel Amaya4 hours ago

Taking A Seat On Friday
Kyle Freeland4 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings
Kameron Misner4 hours ago

Smacks Walk-Off Homer
Alexander Canario6 hours ago

Mets Designate Alexander Canario For Assignment
Matt Moore6 hours ago

Opening Season On Seven-Day Injured List
Tyler Wade6 hours ago

San Diego Designates Tyler Wade For Assignment
Michael Fulmer6 hours ago

Starting Season In Triple-A Rotation
Oscar Colás6 hours ago

Oscar Colas Clears Waivers, Opening Campaign At Triple-A
Clayton Kershaw6 hours ago

To Face Hitters On Saturday
Patrick Corbin6 hours ago

Rangers Option Patrick Corbin To Triple-A
Brewer Hicklen7 hours ago

Tigers Acquire Brewer Hicklen From Brewers
Will Smith7 hours ago

Taking A Seat On Friday
Josh Lowe7 hours ago

Departs Early On Friday With Oblique Discomfort
Brandon Pfaadt7 hours ago

Diamondbacks Sign Brandon Pfaadt To Five-Year Extension
Dylan Moore7 hours ago

Back From Illness
Seth Brown7 hours ago

Starting In Left Field Against Mariners
Jake McCarthy8 hours ago

Alek Thomas Making The Start Over Jake McCarthy On Friday

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

HuThe NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]


Marvin Mims Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued Draft Targets For Every AFC Team

Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. Much will change over the next several months, including the rest of free agency, the NFL Draft, and training camp. However, it’s never too early to look at potential sleeper candidates and undervalued draft targets for next season. Therefore, let’s look at […]


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Worst NFL Contracts: Seven Overpaid, Overvalued Players For 2025

Free agency is in full swing, and teams are handing out big contracts left, right, and center. Myles Garrett became the highest-paid non-QB just a few weeks ago, and Ja'Marr Chase broke that record almost instantly! But big contracts aren't always a success; just ask these teams. These teams had high hopes when they spent […]


Tank Bigsby - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Dynasty Sleepers - Undervalued Running Backs For 2025

Getting ahead of the game is the name of the game in any game, especially if that game happens to be dynasty fantasy football and you want to find underrated running backs to add to your rosters. The shelf life for many RBs isn't very long in the NFL, so it's a position you want […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Outlooks For RBs On New Teams: Najee Harris, Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason, Raheem Mostert, Elijah Mitchell, more

Free agency has fueled a massive wave of player movement that has transformed the fantasy landscape. This includes the results that have emerged after a collection of running backs garnered contracts that will launch them into new environments this season. These backs will be challenged to replicate the prolific numbers that were assembled by the […]


Ja'Marr Chase fantasy football rankings NFL DFS lineup picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Rankings Analysis – Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Malik Nabers

There's no question that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, and New York Giants wideout Malik Nabers are all elite receivers with sky-high production potential for fantasy football. Lousiana State University is WRU, without a doubt. This trio, along with Brian Thomas Jr., proves it. While we won't be covering […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Eight Best Ball Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is an evolving game. While dynasty is the most popular year-round form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are gaining ground. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft a million teams and not have to manage them during the season. It allows fantasy players to scratch the offseason […]


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2025)

It's finally here: the UFL season will kick off with one game on Friday, March 28, two games on Saturday, March 29, and two games on Sunday, March 30. Friday and Saturday matchups will be broadcast on Fox, and Sunday's two contests will be shown on ESPN. If you have never heard of the UFL, […]


Jaxson Dart - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Jaxson Dart NFL Draft Rookie Film Breakdown: Mississippi QB Scouting Report - Coach Knows Ball Series

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2025 class. I'm a college football coach with 10 years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players […]


Travis Kelce - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball Strategy: Mid-Round Values

Besides the obvious top picks in any fantasy football draft, finding the contributors in the middle rounds who end up producing close to or above some of the top-round players is paramount to fantasy success. Being able to sort out any of these players before games have been played is, of course, very subjective. Now […]