:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51441093/615339560.0.jpg)
The Week 7 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals features division rivals with impressive lineups going at it. We've got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks may have righted their ship. They won a close game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6. Running back Christine Michael provided a lot of the scoring. He rushed the ball 18 times for just 64 yards but two of his carries went for touchdowns. It’s clear he’s finally realized his potential as a football player. He’s the No.1 running back in Seattle, even with Thomas Rawls and C.J. Spiller in the mix. Only three teams have given up fewer fantasy points to running backs than Arizona this season. Without question Michael is in a tough matchup this week. He will still get his share of touches, though. Challenging his projected totals for Week 7 might be a struggle on Sunday.
If Michael is held in check, quarterback Russell Wilson will have to keep things moving for the Seahawks. After one and a half seasons with Jimmy Graham at tight end, the two have finally found chemistry. It’s given Wilson another option in the passing game. However, he doesn’t look to be at full strength. He didn’t scramble as much as he usually does against the Falcons. Given that Arizona is pretty good against opposing quarterbacks, Wilson is unlikely to do anything too spectacular in a tough road game. Reaching his projected totals in Week 7 is likely out of the question.
Arizona Cardinals
Coming into the 2016 fantasy season, the title for the best fantasy running back in football was up for grabs. Nearly halfway through the year, some owners might be ready to give the title to David Johnson. He has rushed for 268 yards and five touchdowns in just the last two weeks. Those numbers came against two of the worst run defenses in the NFL, the New York Jets and the San Francisco 49ers. Only one team is better than the Seattle Seahawks at defending fantasy running backs. Week 7 will certainly be more of a challenge for Johnson. That doesn’t mean fantasy owners should be any less confident about his ability to surpass his projections. Projections do take the matchup into account after all.
If Johnson is somehow bottled up by Seattle, Larry Fitzgerald will be counted on to get the ball down the field in the slot receiver position. Fitzgerald was followed by the Jets’ Darrelle Revis in Week 6 and was held to just 49 yards on six catches. This week he will likely draw Seattle’s Richard Sherman. Sherman is generally better than Revis, but Fitzgerald is a Hall of Fame receiver. Fantasy owners should cross their fingers and hope for a big bounce-back performance should they start No. 11 in red.