Week 7 of the NFL season closes with two key matchups, as the Buccaneers travel to Detroit to face the Lions, while the Seahawks host the Texans.
Monday Night Football’s doubleheader features plenty of star power, namely at the QB position, with players like Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs taking center stage.
Below, we’ll dive into some Week 7 NFL DFS Monday Night Football picks and predictions to consider. Use PrizePicks and win real-money rewards when your picks are right.
NFL Week 7 Predictions, Picks for Monday Night Football
Here are four top Week 7 NFL DFS picks for Monday Night Football, and some same-game PrizePicks player projections to consider include Mayfield and Stroud, as well as Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs and Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Buccaneers Projection: 92.5 Rush + Rec Yards
- Both Gibbs and fellow Lions RB David Montgomery have 4 rushing TDs this year, but Gibbs has logged 110 touches to Monty's 74.
- Tampa Bay does deserve some respect as a run defense, even while facing the fourth-fewest attempts. They’re ninth-best in EPA/play on the ground, according to SumerSports.
- A dip in elusiveness has Gibbs failing to replicate his 2024 rushing production. Per Pro Football Focus, his yards after contact per attempt is down from 3.29 to 2.52.
- Despite being 17th in targets to RBs, the Buccaneers have yielded the third-most receiving yards (331) entering Week 7.
- Per NFL Pro, the Buccaneers generate quick pressure more often than anyone at 20.9%. That might force QB Jared Goff to dump the ball off to Gibbs.
- Gibbs’ target share (15%) ranks fourth among all RBs.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield vs. Lions Projection: 242.5 Pass Yards
- After averaging 205 passing yards per game in Weeks 1-3, Mayfield’s production spiked to 308 in Weeks 4-6.
- Mayfield leads all QBs in total EPA (63) before he even plays in Week 7, per SumerSports.
- A strength-on-strength matchup to watch: Mayfield has the fifth-lowest pressure-to-sack rate (12.2%) in the league, but Detroit boasts the third-highest as a defense.
- The Lions’ pass defense is can be exploited, ranking 13th in EPA/play and 28th in TDs allowed. That’s while carrying a laundry list of an injury report into MNF.
- WR Mike Evans’ expected return from injury could assist Mayfield on Monday.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Texans Projection: 87.5 Receiving Yards
- Smith-Njigba has been football’s best pass catcher this year, full-stop. He tops the sport in receiving yards (696) and yards per target (12.4) coming into Week 7.
- Advanced metrics like target share (36.4%), yards per route run (4.43) and targets per route run (0.36) also see JSN leading the pack, according to SumerSports.
- In two career games against the AFC South, Smith-Njigba averaged 111.5 receiving yards, his most against any division by a landslide. He also tends to fare better against the AFC (66.9 yards per game) than the NFC (59.0).
- In his last 15 games played, Smith-Njigba averaged 95.9 receiving yards. He averaged 40.6 in 25 games before that.
- Smith-Njigba has 631 yards on passes caught from a wide alignment, but the Texans’ defense yields the sixth-fewest such yards, per NFL Pro.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud vs. Seahawks Projection: 21.5 Completions
- Is Stroud’s slow start behind him? After posting 2 TDs to 3 INTs in Weeks 1-3, he’s up 6 and 0, respectively, in his last two games before Houston's bye.
- Stroud has completed at least 22 passes in each of his last three contests. He also has a career-best completion percentage (70.8) on the year. The Seahawks’ defense ranks 25th with a 69.2% clip.
- Seattle ranks tenth in most completions allowed. A mere dozen from Stroud on Monday would put them in a tie for third with the Cardinals.
- The Seahawks’ suffocating run defense (second in EPA/play) might force the Texans to lean away from the run game on Monday.
- Every QB to face Seattle this season surpassed his projection for pass attempts.
Make NFL Picks on PrizePicks
Week 7 isn’t the only avenue to get in on the NFL DFS action for Monday Night Football and beyond, as fans can enjoy season-long action with PrizePicks.
Doing so is simple. Just pick players, predict More or Less for their stats, then add those selections to your Lineup. Win real-money prizes when you’re right.
Stick around here with PrizePicks and the Playbook for picks and analysis all year long.
