Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Picks for Week 7

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan)

Created Oct 22, 2026

Last Updated 2026-10-23 01:10:20 Premium Content Part of the product NFL DFS

Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming NFL DFS main slate on DraftKings for Week 7. A 2025 Fantasy Sports Writers Association award winner, Jordan’s deep dive into the best stacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

Week 6 was another reminder of how NFL DFS can be tricky, even when you’re on the right players. Caleb Williams played really well, but the touchdown variance didn’t go our way, keeping him from putting up the type of fantasy score his performance deserved. Tre Tucker was awesome against Buffalo, but Brock Bowers wasn’t able to take advantage of the matchup the way we hoped. Sometimes you can be right about how a game is going to play out and still not get the fantasy production you need.

Now we turn our attention to Week 7, and I think there are some really interesting decisions to make when it comes to lineup construction. We have several elite RBs in fantastic spots again, but I also think there are a few passing attacks that are being overlooked because of recent performances or concerns about the QBs. The Packers and Texans stand out as two offenses I want to attack, especially with how their opponents have struggled defensively this season.

The biggest thing this weekend will be figuring out where to spend our salary. Bijan Robinson, Derrick Henry, and Jahmyr Gibbs all have the potential to put up massive scores, while players like Christian Watson, Nico Collins, and Ja’Marr Chase have matchups where they could break the slate. Finding the right combination of those ceiling plays along with some cheaper options who can outperform their price tags is going to be the key to building a tournament-winning lineup.

Our NFL DFS projections will help capture the best values, adjust to injury news, and show how pOWN% settles throughout the week. I do think this slate is going to have as much chalk as we normally see. Understanding the chalk will help us get different.

NFL DFS DraftKings Picks: Top Stacks, RBs, WRs, & TEs for Week 7

Game Stacks

Jordan Love ($6,000, QB, Green Bay Packers)

Christian Watson ($7,000, WR, Green Bay Packers)

Tucker Kraft ($4,700, TE, Green Bay Packers)

Jahmyr Gibbs ($9,800, RB, Detroit Lions)

The Lions are allowing 321 passing yards per game, and while they played “well” against the Cardinals, this is a completely different level of competition. The Packers are getting their best RB back this weekend, and he’ll be completely fresh, giving Green Bay a legitimate rushing threat that they haven’t had in recent weeks. I think that’s going to open things up for two players in particular: Christian Watson and Tucker Kraft off play action. Kraft leads the team in targets off play action this season, with Watson ranking second.

When you look at the big performances against Detroit this year, play action has been a common theme. Garrett Wilson, Kenyon Sadiq, and Tetairoa McMillan have all created at least one explosive play off play action against this defense. I think this is one of the best matchups on the entire slate, especially with the Packers getting healthier offensively. Matthew Golden has been excellent for Green Bay this season, but I expect Detroit to trust DJ Reed in one-on-one coverage against Watson. Given Watson’s ability to win downfield and the opportunities that play action should create, I think that could end up being a major mistake.

The Lions are getting a crucial piece of their offensive line back this weekend in Cade Mays, who has been excellent as a run blocker. The Packers’ game log against the run is a strange one because they’ve shut down some opponents, but a lot of that has been dictated by game script. Bijan Robinson absolutely destroyed this defense, while D’Andre Swift was able to break off several explosive runs before the game got away from Chicago.

Another interesting wrinkle in this matchup is the familiarity between Jonathan Gannon and Drew Petzing, who spent multiple years together in Arizona. Both should have a good understanding of how the other wants to attack, but I think Petzing has the advantage here, especially with the significant upgrade in offensive weapons at his disposal. With the offensive line getting healthier and the talent Detroit has in the backfield, I think the Lions are in a great position to establish the run and take advantage of this Packers defense.

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