Dolphins LB David Long left in the second half of Sunday night's game against the Eagles to be evaluated for a concussion. He and teammate S Jevon Holland simultaneously left for a sideline check after colliding with each other on a play. Holland re-entered the game shortly thereafter, but Long went to the locker room for further evaluation. We'll watch for further word on his status.
Seahawks Edge Uchenna Nwosu left in the first half of Sunday's win over the Cardinals with a pectoral injury. HC Pete Carroll called it a strain after the game, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson. We'll see whether the injury will cost Nwosu further time.
Raiders LB Divine Deablo left Sunday's loss to the Bears with a left ankle injury. We'll see about the severity heading into a Week 8 clash with the Lions.
Broncos WR Courtland Sutton tallied 6 grabs, 76 yards, and 1 score in Week 7. That makes 5 total TDs for Sutton on only 31 catches. He saw a 20.6% target share in this one, enough to lead the team. Next Sunday turns up a rematch with Kansas City. Sutton tallied 4-46-1 (6 targets) against the Chiefs in Week 6.
Bucs RB Rachaad White managed just 34 scoreless yards on 13 carries in the Week 7 loss to the Falcons. But he was busy in the passing game, hauling in all six of his targets for 65 yards. He tied with WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for the team lead in catches and ranked behind only those two WRs in receiving yards. White's six targets were a solid 14.3% share. And, although the rushing production wasn't big, White at least out-carried RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn 13 to 4. It's getting tough to expect the rushing efficiency to improve. But if White can at least maintain this type of workload share, he should be able to produce as a low-end RB2 in PPR leagues.
Packers RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) entered Sunday with questions about his workload. He remained limited in practice this week, so seeing him eased into action against Denver wasn't a surprise. The veteran back saw 8 of 25 team RB carries; 5 of 9 RB targets. AJ Dillon led the way with 15 carries and 2 catches for a season-high 95 total yards. On the bright side: Jones avoided a hamstring setback. He should see his workload rise next week vs. the Vikings, but we'll look for clues ahead of that matchup.
Chiefs LB Nick Bolton dislocated his right wrist in Sunday's win over the Chargers. They're reportedly still determining the severity of the injury, though it seems likely Bolton will miss some further time. If he does, expect LB Drue Tranquill to become a full-timer once again. Tranquill filled that role for the three previous games that Bolton missed with a sprained ankle. He tallied 8+ tackles in each.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley sustained a hyperextended left elbow in Sunday’s win over Washington. Trainers put a sleeve on Barkley’s elbow, and he was able to play through the injury. "I'll be all right," Barkley said after the loss. We’ll keep an eye on his practice participation, but Barkley should be fine for Week 8.
WR Mike Evans led the Bucs with 82 yards receiving and a score in the Week 7 loss to the Falcons. The highlight was a vintage 40-yard TD on a go route in the first quarter. Evans finished second to WR Chris Godwin with eight targets for a 19.0% target share. Evans has now averaged 9.2 targets, 5.4 catches, 85.6 yards, and 0.8 TDs in five full games this season. He's looking like at least a weekly WR2 going forward, with QB Baker Mayfield's week-to-week inconsistency the only downside.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley tallied 118 total yards in Sunday's victory over Washington. Barkley averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, but it was encouaging to see him hold up on 24 touches. He also displayed plenty of burst on his 32-yard catch-and-run receiving score. Over the past two weeks, Barkley’s earned a whopping 52 touches. That type of workload will keep him squarely in the RB1 mix for Sunday’s tilt vs. the Jets.
Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle is questionable to return to Sunday night's game vs. the Eagles with a back injury. The TV broadcast said that Waddle had a heating pad on his back on the sidelines. We'll update his status when we know more.
Update: Waddle returned in the third quarter.
Giants TE Darren Waller finished Week 7 with 7 catches, 98 yards, and 1 score. It’s a season-best line for the veteran, who’s up to 26 targets over the past three weeks. We’ll see if Daniel Jones (neck) can return for Week 8 vs. the Jets. Either way, Waller will remain a top-8 fantasy play.
Chargers WR Josh Palmer led the team with 5 receptions and 133 yards in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. The yardage set a career high, up from the 106 he managed twice last November. Palmer's 7 targets trailed only WR Keenan Allen (9) and beat everyone else on the team by at least three. It was the first time this year Palmer exceeded 4 receptions or reached 80 yards. But it was also his fourth straight game with at least 7 targets and 60+ yards. Palmer looks like a solid weekly low-end WR3 with upside into WR2 range. A Week 8 matchup with the Bears looks favorable for everyone.
Commanders RB Brian Robinson split carries with rookie Chris Rodriguez in Week 5. Rodriguez actually led the team in rushing yards, gaining 31 on 7 attempts. He didn’t draw a target on 42 Sam Howell passes, though. And his college background suggests he’s an underwhelmed receiver. Rodriguez isn't a high-upside option, but for RB-needy owners in deep formats, the Kentucky product is worth stashing on benches. A tough Philly front seven awaits in Week 8.
Chargers RB Josh Kelley ran for 75 yards and a TD on a tough offensive day overall in the loss to the Chiefs. Don't read too much into that production, though. Kelley exploited a hole, a stacked box, and poor pursuit by K.C. DBs for a 49-yard TD run in the second quarter. His other 6 carries averaged a just OK 4.3 yards per rush. Even that outpaced Austin Ekeler's 3.2 yards per carry for the game. Those 7 carries marked a rebound from the single attempt Kelley got in Ekeler's return game the week before. Of course, it's also worth noting that Kelley averaged just 2.8 yards per rush across the three contests Ekeler missed and entered this game averaging 3.6 per carry for the season. Kelley's at his best as a complement to Ekeler. We'll see if he garners any more work going forward, but we won't bet on it before we see it or hear about such a plan from coaches.
Rams WR Puka Nacua bounced back in Week 7 vs. the Steelers with 8 catches on 12 targets for a monstrous, team-leading 154 receiving yards. The rookie now leads all NFL WRs with 58 receptions on the year. His teammate Cooper Kupp didn’t see nearly the same level of success on Sunday, hauling just 2 of 7 targets for a disappointing 29 receiving yards. Regardless, both wideouts will be must-start options in Week 8 vs. the Cowboys.
The duo of veteran RBs Darrell Henderson Jr. and Royce Freeman led the way for the Rams’ rushing attack in Week 7 vs. the Steelers with a combined 30 carries between them. Henderson Jr. logged 18 carries for 61 rushing yards and a score in the loss, while Freeman accumulated 66 yards on 12 attempts. Turns out rookie RB Zach Evans was not the correct waiver wire pickup from the Rams’ backfield, as he did not see a single offensive snap in the contest. Fantasy managers who play in leagues where Henderson Jr. or Freeman are still available on waivers this coming week should seek their services ahead of next Sunday’s contest vs. the Cowboys.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford completed 14 of 29 passes for 231 yards with 1 TD and INT apiece in Week 7’s loss vs. the Steelers. The veteran’s 14 fantasy point effort is certainly a disappointing outcome in what was projected to be a softer matchup against a Pittsburgh secondary that has struggled for much of this season to date. He’ll have a solid opportunity to turn things around next week vs. the Cowboys.
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler ran for just 45 yards on 14 carries (3.2 per rush) in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. He also added just 1 reception for 1 yard among 2 targets. Ekeler's playing time (62%) fell in line with his previous game, and his rushing actually proved more efficient. Ekeler averaged just 1.9 yards per carry in the Week 6 loss to the Cowboys. The Chiefs have played well on defense overall this season, ranking ninth in total DVOA entering the week. But they also ranked just 21st against the run. We're still betting on Ekeler going forward and especially expect much more from his receiving. But we'll be watching closely for any signs we need to adjust those expectations. A Week 8 matchup with a weak Bears defense looks like a potential blowup spot -- or possibly a signal to really worry about Ekeler if he doesn't deliver.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin posted a team-high 6 catches and 90 yards against the Giants. That includes a team-high 21.4% target share. The veteran made a couple of impressive downfield grabs in tight coverage, including one where he took a hard shot. Following a slow start, McLaurin's now hit 80+ yards in three of his past four matchups. Keep him in lineups as a top-30 option next week against Philly.
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