Fantasy Football fool’s gold: 3 players you should believe in, 2 players you shouldn’t in Week 7

The zero RB strategy has been a popular one in fantasy football circles over the past few years based on the belief that running backs outside the top tier were not good value picks in the middle rounds of the draft. While 2024 has challenged the receiving end of that strategy with multiple top pass catchers underwhelming, the merits of zero RB have been demonstrated through the fact it feels like there's a new unheralded rusher every week to put up a big fantasy performance on your bench or the waiver wire.

Sifting through the trustworthy options (like Tyrone Tracy, who we rubber-stamped in this space last week) and untrustworthy ones is a challenge for fantasy owners. Let's take a look at the latest breakthrough performers from Week 6 action and determine who you can trust and who is doomed to be a future bust.

Fantasy Football Fool's Gold: Week 7 Report

Sean Tucker, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 6 was a tough blow for the Bucky Irving truthers who saw him finally get the lead spot in the backfield with Rachaad White out ... only to see third-stringer Sean Tucker explode in the second half against the New Orleans Saints. Tucker, an unheralded second-year back out of Syracuse, turned 14 carries into 136 yards and a touchdown to put himself firmly on the radar with the Buccaneers' coaching staff.

The receiving game was also an asset for Tucker, who caught three passes for 56 yards and another score, giving him 192 all-purpose yards on the day. While Tucker was a prolific collegian at Syracuse, no one could have possibly seen this type of day coming, even with White sidelined due to injury.

While the temptation is strong to bid on Tucker with your top waiver priority and FAAB dollars, this is a very risky situation to pursue. Irving had a solid day on his own and White isn't expected to be sidelined for the long term, meaning Tucker will either get relegated back to anonymity on the bench or turn this backfield into a full-fledged committee, hurting everyone's value in the process.

Verdict: Bust

Isaac Guerendo, RB, San Francisco 49ers

The wheel of running backs in San Francisco finally landed on Isaac Guerendo in Week 6 as he took over for an injured Jordan Mason in the second half. Fantasy experts have been hyping Guerendo as a sleeper if Christian McCaffrey were to miss time and he took advantage of his first real opportunity, racking up 99 yards on 10 carries in the 49ers' big win against Seattle.

The highlight with Guerendo is the potential for top-end speed, something that separates him from Mason, who is a more tried-and-true between the tackles runner. That was evident with a look at Guerendo's 75-yard dash down the right side of Seattle's defense in the second half, which should earn him more run if Mason can't go in the all-important Week 7 Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Expect the 49ers to try and implement a run-heavy game plan to keep Patrick Mahomes observing the action as much as possible, which should lead to plenty of work for Guerendo even if Mason is available. McCaffrey also appears likely to remain sidelined through the 49ers' Week 9 bye so there is a solid two-week window here for Guerendo to establish himself as a change-of-pace option going forward.

Verdict: Trust

Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Our third unheralded runner of the week is Chargers' rookie Kimani Vidal, who stepped up for Los Angeles when Gus Edwards went down with a neck injury. Vidal got his first NFL touch on Sunday and showed why experts were excited for him to get an opportunity when he broke free for a 38-yard touchdown.

That score came on the very first NFL touch of Vidal's career, although it didn't exactly lead to a ton more work for the sixth-rounder out of Troy. Vidal received five more touches and compiled a total of 51 yards from scrimmage, but that could change with Edwards' work in the Chargers' run-heavy gameplan now available for at least the next four weeks.

The more likely scenario is for J.K. Dobbins, who has had a renaissance year in Los Angeles, to assume more of the rushing responsibility while Vidal is a change-of-pace option. That outlook could offer flex appeal in deeper leagues but isn't worth chasing immediately in more standard leagues.

Verdict: Bust

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

The Patriots finally unleashed the third overall pick from April's draft and Drake Maye made the New England offense look much more interesting. While there were a few rough moments from Maye, who had to deal with Houston's ferocious defense in his first start, the Patriots have to be happy that he didn't look overwhelmed by the speed of NFL game action.

Maye was solid in his first start, completing 20-of-33 passes for 243 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing five times for another 38 yards. There was plenty of garbage time for New England as the Texans built a big lead but that works just fine for our purposes since all points count the same in the fantasy game.

While there aren't a ton of weapons for Maye to work with right now, he does have a strong matchup against the Jaguars' abysmal pass defense in Week 7 and garbage time opportunities in two of his next three games against the Jets and Bears. Taking a flyer on Maye's skill set is a solid strategy with the bye portion of the season upon us.

Verdict: Trust

Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

The loss of Rashee Rice to a knee injury has helped continue to decimate Patrick Mahomes' weapons in Kansas City. While the losses of Rice, Hollywood Brown and Isiah Pacheco have led to more opportunities for stalwart tight end Travis Kelce, another receiver was bound to emerge as a top fantasy option for the Chiefs.

While Xavier Worthy truthers are hoping the loss of weapons provides an opportunity for the speedy rookie to emerge, old standby Juju Smith-Schuster established himself as one of Mahomes' most trusted options prior to the team's Week 6 bye. In case you forgot, Smith-Schuster was targeted eight times in Week 5 and converted seven of them into receptions, racking up 130 yards in the process.

While head coach Andy Reid will undoubtedly design specific plays to take advantage of Worthy's speed, his limited route tree will lead Mahomes to feed the receivers who have a more in-depth knowledge of Kansas City's intricate system. Smith-Schuster has that knowledge in spades and a strong rapport with Mahomes, making him the most trustworthy Chiefs' pass catcher outside of Kelce.

Verdict: Trust