Sports Illustrated · সাধারণ

Kenneth Walker III, Week 7 Fantasy Busts Not to Panic Over

10/28/2026

Another week of the fantasy football season has come to a close with Week 7 wrapped up on Monday night with notable performances from CeeDee Lamb and Javonte Williams. Not every star enjoyed this level of success in Week 7, though, raising concerns with disappointing performances heading into Week 8. We’ll explore some disappointing fantasy performances that fantasy managers shouldn’t panic over going forward.

Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - RB

Oct 25, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) carries the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Lumen Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kenneth Walker’s revenge game was not to be on Sunday Night Football. The Seattle Seahawks limited Walker to a season-low 36 rushing yards over 14 carries, tallying 9.7 points in PPR thanks to four receptions over five targets. The Chiefs’ offensive struggles raised concerns heading into a matchup against the Denver Broncos, but Walker should find his way back on track against the No. 28 run defense in football.

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens - RB

Baltimore Ravens star running back Derrick Henry cracks our list for the second consecutive week, coming off another quiet performance. I predicted Henry would bounce back against Cincinnati in Week 7, which appeared to be the case in the first half. A second-half deficit forced Baltimore to lean on the passing game, and Henry was limited to just 5.9 points, racking up 45 yards over 17 carries, most of which came in the first two quarters. With Lamar Jackson set to return, Henry is likely to bounce back against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8.

Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers - WR

Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) celebrates with tight end Tommy Tremble (82) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Carolina Panthers lost by the largest deficit of any team on the schedule for the second week this season, suffering a 43-13 rout to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina’s passing attack was limited to a season-low 178 passing yards, and wideout Jalen Coker struggled to make an impact. He tallied just 1.9 PPR points with one catch for nine yards over four targets. The Panthers are entering a brutal stretch to start November, but Coker’s share of the passing game’s volume presents reason for optimism among fantasy managers.

Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints - WR

Chris Olave and the New Orleans Saints’ offense was held in check during the NFL’s debut game in Paris against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Olave remained an integral threat in New Orleans’ gameplan, but mustered just 11.6 PPR points, the second-lowest mark of any week this season. The Saints enter their Week 8 bye sitting at 2-5, but a matchup against the Cleveland Browns should help Olave carve out another top-15 performance.

Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers - WR

Oct 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) makes a diving attempt to catch a long pass in front of Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during the third quarter at Ford Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Green Bay Packers’ passing game has been a gold mine for fantasy players during the young 2026 campaign. Matthew Golden, Christian Watson and Jordan Love each rank top-10 among their respective positions in fantasy scoring, though the star wideout pairing failed to meet that mark in Week 7. Golden was held under 10.0 points for the first time this season hauling in just half of his 12 targets for 39 yards. The Panthers’ pass defense is solid, but Golden will likely notch another top-20 finish in this Week 8 clash.

Isaiah Likely, New York Giants - TE

The New York Giants’ passing game is feeling the effects of the transition to J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. McCarthy notably led the Giants to an upset win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, but Isaiah Likely, one of the offense’s premier threats, was held to just two catches for 12 yards. Likely’s 3.2 PPR points set a new season low, and he’ll look to get back on track against the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly’s defense has endured plenty of struggles over recent weeks, and could present an immediate bounce-back opportunity coming off the bye.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers - QB

Oct 25, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) with Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We previously touched on Carolina’s offensive struggles in regard to Coker’s performance, but saved mention of Bryce Young’s season-low scoring total for his spot on our list. Young completed just 14 of his 27 pass attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions, racking up 7.4 points for fantasy lineups. The Panthers’ passing game takes on plenty of volume, though, and Young should rebound nicely against Green Bay in Week 8.

DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers - WR

The Steelers’ offense managed some stellar highlights during the win over New Orleans, but mustered just 212 yards in the passing game on Sunday. DK Metcalf, coming off his best performance of the season in Week 6, made a crucial 51-yard catch to set Pittsburgh up for a touchdown in the second quarter, but finished the game with just 62 yards. The Steelers are set to square off against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8, and Metcalf will remain one of the key targets for Aaron Rodgers on passing downs.