Tony Pollard delivered the kind of performance Dallas needs from its star back, carrying the workload and finding the end zone. Joe Burrow kept Cincinnati competitive with sharp decision-making, while Zay Flowers gave the Ravens another reliable target in their pass game.
On the flip side, Brock Purdy managed little against a stout defense. The 49ers' quarterback couldn't establish rhythm and struggled to move the ball consistently. Derrick Henry, expected to anchor Tennessee's ground game, couldn't get into a rhythm either. Kenneth Walker III also failed to impose himself on the game for Seattle, leaving fantasy managers and coaches disappointed after a week where consistency at the skill positions mattered.
The variance in Week 7 reflected what we see most weeks: opportunity and matchup luck determine outcomes as much as talent does. Pollard caught his chances. Burrow had time to throw. Henry and Walker faced stacked boxes and defenses keyed to stop the run. Purdy simply couldn't find his receivers downfield. These performances will reshape lineups heading into Week 8, with the studs who showed up rewarded and the underperformers facing real questions about volume and viability going forward.