Start Michael Penix Jr. or Cam Ward? Week 7

Updated Oct 19, 2:21 PM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 8 answer posts Tuesday.

Start Michael Penix Jr. over Cam Ward

Start

Michael Penix Jr.

QB · ATL · vs SF · Questionable

Market projects: 12.2; recent weeks avg
SF D vs QB: 13.7; 5th fewest to QBs (2026)

Sit

Cam Ward

QB · TEN · vs CLE

Market projects: 11.5; recent weeks avg
CLE D vs QB: 17.5; 15th most to QBs (2026)
Snap share: 100%; Through Week 6

Should I drop Cam Ward for Michael Penix Jr.?

Yes, on the rest of the season. Michael Penix Jr. projects 136 market-implied PPR points from Week 7 through Week 17 (13.6 a game over 10 games), Cam Ward 125 (12.5 a game over 10 games). For Week 7 the call starts Michael Penix Jr. over Cam Ward. Michael Penix Jr. is listed questionable.

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Michael Penix Jr. rookie cards Cam Ward rookie cards

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Our Week 7 call

Start Michael Penix Jr. over Cam Ward in Week 7.

Market-based projections have Michael Penix Jr. at 12.2 points and Cam Ward at 11.5, a gap of 0.8. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Michael Penix Jr. this week yet, so his 12.2 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 4 and 5 (12.1 and 12.4); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Cam Ward this week yet, so his 11.5 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 4 and 5 (10.4 and 12.5); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 7 player market is posted for Michael Penix Jr. yet. His market-based projections were 12.1 and 12.4 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 12.2, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

No Week 7 player market is posted for Cam Ward yet. His market-based projections were 10.4 and 12.5 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 11.5, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

That puts Michael Penix Jr. 0.8 points ahead of Cam Ward on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

Michael Penix Jr. and ATL host SF on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

SF allowed 13.7 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 5 games, the 5th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 211 yards and a touchdown a game against SF, with 0.6 interceptions.

Cam Ward and TEN host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 17.5 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 5 games, the 15th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 240 yards and 2.0 touchdowns a game against CLE, with 0.8 interceptions.

By points allowed to the position, Cam Ward has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Michael Penix Jr. is listed as questionable with a undisclosed injury.

Cam Ward is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Cam Ward played 100 percent of TEN snaps, dropped back 199 times and threw an average of 6.9 air yards per attempt.

Cam Ward, Week 3 against NYG: 60 of 60 snaps, 23 of 36 passes for 181 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 1 carry for 2 yards.

Cam Ward, Week 4 against BAL: 64 of 64 snaps, 20 of 31 passes for 222 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 4 carries for 27 yards.

Cam Ward, Week 5 against HOU: 63 of 63 snaps, 23 of 36 passes for 170 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, 1 carry for 2 yards.

Cam Ward, Week 6 against IND: 11 of 22 passes for 102 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 2 carries for 8 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Michael Penix Jr. played 9 games for ATL and scored 123.3 PPR points, 13.7 a game, finishing QB33.

He completed 166 of 276 passes for 1982 yards, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and ran 21 times for 70 yards and 1 touchdown.

He was on the field for 93 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Cam Ward played 17 games for TEN and scored 193.7 PPR points, 11.4 a game, finishing QB22.

He completed 323 of 540 passes for 3169 yards, 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and ran 39 times for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 100 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 7, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.

Drop or keep

Should I drop Cam Ward for Michael Penix Jr.?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Michael Penix Jr. projects 136 market-implied PPR points from Week 7 through Week 17 (13.6 a game over 10 games), Cam Ward 125 (12.5 a game over 10 games). For Week 7 the call starts Michael Penix Jr. over Cam Ward. Michael Penix Jr. is listed questionable.
Should I drop Michael Penix Jr. for Cam Ward?
No. Keep Michael Penix Jr.: he projects 136 market-implied PPR points from Week 7 through Week 17 (13.6 a game over 10 games), Cam Ward 125 (12.5 a game over 10 games). For Week 7 the call starts Michael Penix Jr. over Cam Ward. Michael Penix Jr. is listed questionable.