There’s no game for the Panthers this week as they have their bye. What is a football fan to do? Binge on watching other NFL teams, of course.
Here are seven games worth checking out Week 7.
Chiefs (4-2) vs. Broncos (2-4): Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET
Thursday night games have been known to get a bit. . . messy. However, any chance to see Patrick Mahomes at work is worth the price of admission – especially when it’s free. He’s already thrown for 2,104 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and just one pick. Denver’s defense isn’t the monster it once was, but it’s better than most people think and could offer a genuine challenge for Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Rams (3-3) vs. Falcons (1-5): Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET
After their blockbuster trade earlier in the week with the Jaguars, the Rams apparently are hoping Jalen Ramsey will be ready to play on Sunday, which means we could get to see him match up one on one against Julio Jones. Elsewhere, we get to see Aaron Donald do his wrecking ball thing against a Falcons offensive line that has seen better days. Jared Goff is trending in the wrong direction, but Atlanta’s defense is a dumpster fire so there’s a good chance this one could turn into a fantasy-friendly shootout.
Texans (4-2) vs. Colts (3-2): Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET
There’s a handful of strong MVP candidates this year, Christian McCaffrey among them. One contender you shouldn’t sleep on is Deshaun Watson, who was brilliant in a win over Kansas City last week. Watson faces a Colts team that’s had to change its identity in the wake of Andrew Luck’s retirement. Now, Indy is all about running the ball and they do it very well. The Colts currently rank fourth in rushing yards per game.
Cardinals (2-3-1) vs. Giants (2-4): Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET
Here’s another game that could be very compelling from a fantasy perspective. Kyler Murray is starting to get hot and he’ll be facing a Giants defense that’s given up the second-most passing yards in the league this year. Arizona’s defense is right behind them, though – which means Daniel Jones could also be in line for a big game. The return of star running back Saquon Barkley to the lineup only sweetens the pot.
49ers (5-0) vs. Redskins (1-5): Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET
This one is probably going to get ugly. San Francisco has the toughest defense in the NFC this season and Washington might just be the worst team in football this year. Nevertheless, this is a chance to get a look ahead at Carolina’s next opponent. Jimmy Garoppolo remains relatively limited as a quarterback. However, the 49ers have an absolutely brutal defensive line. They also have developed an extremely creative rushing attack under the guidance of their offensive mastermind head coach, Kyle Shanahan.
Saints (5-1) vs. Bears (3-2): Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
The Panthers have a chance to gain ground on the Saints in the NFC South this week without having to do anything. New Orleans has been winning with Teddy Bridgewater subbing in for an injured Drew Brees (4-0) but they haven’t had a test like this yet. Despite losing Vic Fangio, the Bears remain a defensive juggernaut and they’re playing at home. A win for Chicago would put Carolina just a half game behind the Saints in the division race.
Ravens (4-2) vs. Seahawks (5-1): Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
McCaffrey, Watson and Mahomes are all legitimate MVP candidates. The front-runner right now is Russell Wilson though, who is playing out of his mind. Wilson leads the league in passer rating (124.7) by a wide margin and hasn’t thrown a single interception yet. It will be interesting to see if Wilson can keep that streak going with a potential Earl Thomas revenge game in the cards – which is something no NFL fan would want to miss.
