'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Week 7 of the 2023 fantasy football season will conclude with a Monday Night Football showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings. Some managers will look for Monday night miracles in their fantasy matchups, while others will try to hold off their opponents and solidify a victory.
Either way, it will be crucial for all managers to make the correct lineup decisions for the final game of the Week 7 slate. One of those decisions may be the important quarterback position between Kirk Cousins and Brock Purdy.
Both quarterbacks have been fringe fantasy starters this year and will face some adversity in this particular matchup without all of their usual weapons. Their similarities make them a realistic debate for fantasy football lineups to close out this week.
Trending
Is Brock Purdy a good pick in fantasy football Week 7?
While Brock Purdy was fantastic for the San Francisco 49ers last year, including going undefeated during his regular season starts, it didn't quite translate to a ton of fantasy football success. The 2023 NFL season has been a bit of a different story as he has been a borderline starter this year, ranking as the overall QB13 through the first six weeks of action.
Purdy has ranked four times among the top 13 fantasy quarterbacks this year but finished as QB23 and QB25 in his other two games. His efficiency continues to be one of his most valuable weapons, totaling 12 touchdowns and just two turnovers so far this season while completing 68 percent of his passes. He also recently set a career-high with four touchdown passes two games ago against the Dallas Cowboys.
Week 7 will present an unfamiliar challenge for Purdy as one of his top offensive weapons, Deebo Samuel, has been ruled out with an injury. Superstar dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey is also questionable to play with his injuries. With the 49ers' offensive unit at less than full strength, the quarterback must utilize some of his less familiar offensive options.
On the positive side, the 49ers have a favorable Week 7 matchup against a relatively weak Minnesota Vikings defense. This year, they have struggled to contain quarterbacks, allowing the tenth-most fantasy points per game to the position. The Vikings also allow the sixth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, so Purdy will likely target breakout wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk often.
Brock Purdy will be an interesting fantasy football option for the quarterback position this week. While he has been a fringe starter in most fantasy football formats this season, his value gets a relative boost with six teams on their bye weeks and several other quarterbacks dealing with injuries. His favorable matchup also helps his outlook despite his missing weapons around him.
Also Read: Brock Purdy fantasy outlook
Is Kirk Cousins a good pick in fantasy football Week 7?
Kirk Cousins opened the 2023 fantasy football season on an absolute tear, finishing among the top ten quarterbacks in the first three weeks, including two top-four finishes.
During that scorching hot stretch, he totaled nine touchdown passes and exceeded 340 passing yards in all three games. While the Minnesota Vikings struggled to a 0-3 record, Cousins emerged as the overall QB1 in fantasy football.
Also Read: Week 7 QB rankings
Unfortunately for Cousins' fantasy managers, he has cooled off considerably since then, recording just one top-ten finish in his past three games and finishing outside the top 20 quarterbacks in the other two games.
After throwing nine touchdowns in his first three games, that number was cut in half for his past three, reducing to five touchdown passes. He has also failed to exceed 300 yards in any of those three games, including two performances with less than 200 yards.
It has been a polarizing fantasy season for Cousins, with a clear split between the first and last three games. It will be difficult for him to potentially get back on track in Week 7 against the 49ers' elite defense. They rank towards the top of the NFL in almost every defensive category, including allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
Furthering Cousins' challenge to return to his elite early-season form is that he will have to try to do so without the help of superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the best player in the NFL at his respective position. He is currently injured, severely weakening their offensive staff this week.
Jordan Addison and KJ Osborn have been more involved in their offense during his absence, but there is no replacing Jefferson's value when he's on the field.
Kirk Cousins will have to overcome several obstacles this week, but that doesn't necessarily mean he should be avoided in fantasy football. The Vikings may be playing from behind for most of the game against the 49ers, who are fairly big favorites to win.
This means that Cousins will likely need to pass the ball often to keep up, so his volume may give him a strong fantasy performance despite an unfavorable environment.
Managers looking to acquire Cousins or Purdy should reference the fantasy football trade analyzer.
Brock Purdy vs. Kirk Cousins: Who should I start in Week 7?
According to the Start/Sit Optimizer, Brock Purdy makes for a better quarterback option than Kirk Cousins in fantasy football lineups for Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season. This valuable tool weighs every possible factor for any player in a given week to generate fantasy projections and lineup suggestions. This particular breakdown favors Purdy over Cousins.
The biggest factor in Purdy having a higher projected fantasy total for this week is his stronger expectations of scoring touchdowns. This makes sense, given the 49ers are relatively larger favorites against the Vikings. Purdy may also be asked to throw the ball a bit more often than usual if McCaffrey is unavailable. These all play a role in him being the preferred Week 7 fantasy football lineup option.
