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Rico Dowdle Not Going Away Just Yet
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle hasn't been as reliable for fantasy managers since Chuba Hubbard returned from his injury, but that doesn't mean he cannot still be productive for those in the fantasy playoffs. The 27-year-old reclaimed lead-back duties from Hubbard in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints, out-touching him 17 to nine. Dowdle had only 49 rushing yards on 16 carries (3.1 yards per tote), but he managed to find the end zone for the first time since Week 10. He continues to see plenty of volume -- Dowdle has had at least 17 touches in four of the last five games -- but he has been under 4.0 yards per carry in four of the last five contests as well. With Hubbard being more involved next to Dowdle in Carolina's backfield now that he's fully healthy, Dowdle must be more efficient with his touches to pay off for fantasy managers as an RB2. The good news is that Dowdle has plenty of upside in Week 16 against a Bucs defense that has been vulnerable to RBs this year.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
More Recent News
Travis Kelce Ineffective in Defeat
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce hauled in four of eight targets for 44 yards in his team's 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football. Kelce either led or tied for the Chiefs' lead in each significant receiving category. However, he and the remainder of the pass catchers were held in check on a night when quarterback Patrick Mahomes averaged a paltry five yards per attempt and never orchestrated a red zone drive. Better days are ahead for the former third-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, but Kansas City's receiver corps is in desperate need of assistance, as their lack of depth is hurting the pass attack. We'll see if the 37-year-old can win back fantasy managers' favor with a bounce-back effort against the Denver Broncos in a divisional clash in his next outing.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Patrick Mahomes Held in Check on SNF
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 19 of 33 pass attempts for 165 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception in Sunday night's 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He added 14 yards on two carries. Mahomes and the Chiefs were clearly outmatched in this one against the defending Super Bowl champs. Kansas City's ground attack was nearly nonexistent, leaving the offense one-dimensional against one of the league's toughest units. Moreover, Seattle prevented the Chiefs from even entering the red zone. Week 7 marked the second straight game the Texas Tech product failed to record a touchdown pass. It's unlikely a trend, but it's at least mildly concerning for a team that has relied so heavily on the run and has an alarming need at the wide receiver position. Mahomes will get a slightly more palatable draw against their division-rival Denver Broncos his next time out.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Emanuel Wilson Rebounds in Primetime
Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 24 totes in Sunday's 20-3 home victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught his lone target for a 15-yard gain. Wilson disappointed in Week 6 when he failed to score a touchdown for the first time in three games, but he boosted owners on Sunday Night Football, recording his first 100-yard game on the ground since Week 12 of last season. While it's unclear what the former undrafted free agent's role will be when teammate Zach Charbonnet (knee) makes his long-awaited return, there's no doubt that the former has shown he can handle a full workload. The question remains, however, whether his efficiency will limit his touches once more reliable options reenter the fold. Seattle will line up for a meeting against a red-hot Chicago Bears squad next Monday night, which has been one of the league's worst matchups for running backs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kenneth Walker Stymied in Homecoming
Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker rushed 14 times for 36 yards and caught four of five targets for 21 yards in his team's 20-3 loss to the hosting Seattle Seahawks. Walker was shut down by his former team in this one. Week 7 marked the first time the fifth-year pro failed to rush for 100 yards or score a touchdown in 2026, as Kansas City's passing game stalled. Fortunately for fantasy managers, he salvaged his day with some receiving production, but it was an all-around dud for the league's leading rusher heading into the weekend. With that subpar outing behind him, Walker can turn his sights on a much more beatable Denver Broncos run defense in Week 8. Including Sunday's win over Arizona, Denver's D ranks in the bottom five in rushing yards per game (133.3), setting up an excellent rebound opportunity for the Tennessee native.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Rips Chiefs' D for Another Superb Performance
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba corralled nine of 12 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown in Sunday night's 20-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. It was another uber-productive day at the office for the 24-year-old, as he's now collected six 100-plus-yard outings, five with double-digit targets, and eight TDs, putting him just two shy of his personal best of ten set in 2025. With the stellar performance, Smith-Njigba joined teammate Cooper Kupp as the only two players in the Super Bowl era to record 800-plus receiving yards and eight-plus receiving touchdowns through their team's first seven games. He'll look to continue his utter dominance in a home matchup with the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 8.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jordan Watkins Steps Into a Larger Role on Sunday Afternoon
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jordan Watkins caught three of his six targets for 56 yards during Sunday's Week 7 loss against the Atlanta Falcons. He almost had a touchdown catch, too, but it was reversed to an incompletion upon replay review. Watkins stepped up as one of Brock Purdy's favorite targets with so many injuries across the receiver room, including Mike Evans (Achilles), Deebo Samuel (hamstring), De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle), and Demarcus Robinson (ankle). The 24-year-old has now played 76% of the offensive snaps in each of his last two games, but that trend may not continue going forward. The 49ers have a bye in Week 8, giving players like Evans and Samuel a little extra time to get healthy. Christian Kirk, who returned from injured reserve Sunday but wasn't targeted, will also have a full two weeks to get back up to NFL speed so that he can contribute when the Niners return to action in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Assuming Watkins falls off the No. 1 role going forward, he can be avoided in most fantasy football leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tucker Kraft Remains Productive with a Touchdown in Week 7
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft caught four of his six targets for 48 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 7 loss against the Detroit Lions. The 25-year-old had a relatively quiet start to the season since he was still working his way back from an ACL tear, but he has turned a corner over the past four weeks. Throughout his last four games, he has two touchdowns and three double-digit fantasy performances in PPR leagues. There was never any doubt that Kraft had TE1 value in his future, but it's officially here now that he has fully recovered from the serious knee injury. He has re-established himself as one of quarterback Jordan Love's favorite targets alongside Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. Kraft should rank as a mid-range TE1 heading into Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers, who just surrendered 37 offensive points to the Buccaneers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brock Purdy Picked Off Twice in Rare Dud Performance
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy completed 27 of his 40 pass attempts for 288 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions during Sunday's Week 7 loss against the Atlanta Falcons. He also rushed for five yards and took two sacks. Purdy had just two turnovers through the first six weeks of the season, so seeing him get picked off twice in one game was an anomaly. The 26-year-old ultimately finished with his worst fantasy outing of the season, and he is no longer among the top three quarterbacks in total scoring this year. We do expect him to bounce back going forward, especially as the receiving corps around him finally starts to get a little bit healthier. The Niners' Week 8 bye will be a great opportunity for the receivers to get healthy and for Purdy to shake off Sunday's dud outing.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Malachi Fields Continues to Handle Increased Volume in Week 7
New York Giants wide receiver Malachi Fields caught four of his five targets for 83 yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the Houston Texans in overtime. Fields, a rookie, set new career-high reception and yardage marks during the victory. While his snap share dropped from 94% in Week 6 to 74% in Week 7, these last two games have proven that he is the clear No. 2 wide receiver behind Malik Nabers, and as a result, he has some appeal in deeper fantasy football leagues. He posted double-digit fantasy points in Week 7 and has quickly earned the trust of quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was acquired earlier this month and made his first start with the Giants on Sunday. Fields will continue to share targets with Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely going forward, but he has the potential to rank as a low-end WR3/flex on the other side of the Giants' Week 8 bye.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mike Gesicki Extends TD Streak to Four Games on National Tight Ends Day
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki converted his lone target into a six-yard touchdown reception during Sunday's Week 7 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens. Gesicki's volume has been suboptimal lately, but he has made his presence felt around the goal line by putting together a four-game touchdown streak. Four of Gesicki's last seven catches have gone for a touchdown, which is impressive but also not sustainable. Although the touchdown temptation exists, fantasy managers should avoid starting Gesicki in most leagues because he's due for his scoring to decrease while his volume remains steady. Heading into Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans, Gesicki will rank as a low-end TE2 who is highly dependent on touchdowns.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Adonai Mitchell Overshadowed by Rookie WR in his Return From Injury
New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was unable to catch any of his three targets in Sunday's 28-25 loss to the division-rival Miami Dolphins in Week 7 in his first game back from a finger injury that required a minor surgical procedure and caused him to miss four games. Meanwhile, rookie first-round wideout Omar Cooper Jr. had a second straight 100-yard performance after returning from Injured Reserve last week. The 24-year-old Mitchell had a clear path to WR2 duties behind Garrett Wilson early in the year when Cooper injured his finger, but he was not able to take advantage of the opportunity and now finds himself as the WR3 going into the team's Week 8 contest next Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. Mitchell was an intriguing receiver to stash after catching nine of his 15 targets for 123 yards in the first two games of the season, but that has changed quickly with Cooper's emergence. He will remain involved in the Jets' passing attack, but as long as Cooper stays healthy, the young wideout will have more fantasy upside than Mitchell. After his dud of a performance in his return, Mitchell will most likely be dropped in most fantasy leagues.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Denzel Boston Turns in Another Quiet Showing
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Denzel Boston caught three of eight targets for 27 receiving yards during Sunday's Week 7 win over the Tennessee Titans. Boston looked like a potential Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate through the first five weeks of the season, but he has come back down to earth over the last two games. Between Weeks 6 and 7, he has just four catches for 42 yards, despite handling an impressive total of 13 targets. Fantasy managers would love to see Boston's catch rate increase going forward; his volume hasn't been an issue, but the number of catches will need to improve before he can be trusted in fantasy lineups again. He doesn't necessarily need to be benched in every league, but he's at least avoidable in shallower formats for Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He'll likely rank as a WR3/flex in 12+ team leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tez Johnson Finds the End Zone in Elevated Role
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were looking for some wide receivers to step up in the Week 7 game against the division-rival Carolina Panthers on Sunday with top wideout Emeka Egbuka (concussion, foot) out due to injuries. Johnson led the Buccaneers in receiving in their 43-13 blowout win on the road, but he caught only two passes (on two targets) for a team-high 33 receiving yards on a day in which quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for only 64 yards on 11 passing attempts in his first game back from a dislocated right thumb. Mayfield found the 24-year-old Johnson wide open in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Johnson might have had a much bigger game had Tampa not had such a huge lead for most of the game, but his 16.5 yards-per-catch average was impressive nonetheless. He will only be in play as a deep-league flex play next week against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons if Egbuka misses another game. Johnson now has nine receptions on 15 targets for the season for 178 yards and a touchdown in seven contests. Fantasy managers should not be spending much on Johnson on the waiver wire with Egbuka potentially returning in Week 8.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Malik Willis Plays Turnover-Free Football for the First Time in 2026
Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 208 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and zero turnovers during Sunday's Week 7 win over the New York Jets. He also had eight rushing attempts, 37 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. Willis' big game was significant for a few reasons. First of all, this was Willis' first game of 2026 with at least three total touchdowns. It was also his first time this year finishing a game without a turnover. Additionally, the strong performance helped lead Miami to its first victory of the campaign. The Dolphins are now 1-5 and will run into a much tougher test next week in the form of the New England Patriots, who just allowed 308 yards and two touchdowns to Caleb Williams on a short week. Willis' rushing upside keeps him in the QB2 territory for fantasy football, but his previous turnover problems give him a relatively lower floor.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kenyon Sadiq Quickly Losing Redraft Appeal After Week 7 Dud
New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq converted his lone target into a six-yard reception during Sunday's Week 7 loss against the Miami Dolphins. Sadiq impressed through the first three weeks of the season, but he has lost plenty of fantasy relevance in the four games since then. During that subsequent four-game span, he caught just four passes for 21 yards with zero touchdowns and one lost fumble. It's not like the Jets have been ignoring the tight end position, either. They've simply preferred to use Mason Taylor, who stepped up with five catches, 62 yards, and two touchdowns on Sunday afternoon. Taylor has 12 catches on 15 targets over the last three weeks, solidifying himself as the clear No. 1 tight end on the Jets' roster. He's emerging as a deep-league tight end option with streaming appeal for Week 8 against the Raiders, who allowed Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen to combine for nine catches, 68 yards, and two touchdowns this weekend.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Konata Mumpfield a Fantasy Bust Despite Thinned WR Room
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Konata Mumpfield had an opportunity for an elevated role in the passing game in Sunday's Week 7 win on the road over the Las Vegas Raiders, but it did not pan out for him on the scoresheet. Mumpfield was barely heard from in the 35-21 victory without veteran wideout Davante Adams (hamstring), catching just one of his two targets for 15 yards. Star pass-catcher Puka Nacua continued to be heavily targeted by veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, as he caught eight of his 10 targets for 68 yards and a touchdown, while tight end Davis Allen came out of nowhere to catch four of five targets for 20 yards and two touchdowns. It was a disappointing showing for Mumpfield, but the good news is that he was the only other receiver who was targeted for the Rams, and he will have plenty of time to earn a bigger role, with Adams expected to miss anywhere from six to 10 weeks with his hamstring injury. Mumpfield will not be a realistic fantasy starter in most leagues next week against the winless Los Angeles Chargers, but he is still a worthwhile deep-league stash with Adams on Injured Reserve in L.A.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Christian McCaffrey's Rushing Volume Hindered by Brief Exit
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey totaled nine carries, 39 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown during Sunday's Week 7 loss against the Atlanta Falcons. He also caught six of seven targets for an additional 61 receiving yards. McCaffrey had a very productive day when he was on the field, but his rushing volume was limited by a mix of injury and game script. The 30-year-old missed a portion of the game with a thigh injury, and it was serious enough that he had to go to the locker room for evaluation and was listed as questionable. He did end up returning, although the Niners used him in the passing game more than the rushing attack since they were trailing Atlanta. San Francisco went on to lose, but McCaffrey salvaged his performance (especially in PPR leagues) with the six catches, 100 scrimmage yards, and one touchdown. As long as he's healthy, he remains a high-end RB1 on the other side of his Week 8 bye.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rashid Shaheed Ruled Out on Sunday Night With Knee Injury
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver/return man Rashid Shaheed (knee) suffered a knee injury in the Sunday night game against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs and has been ruled out, according to the team. Shaheed suffered a knee injury in the first half and was ruled out for the second half. Before getting hurt, Shaheed caught two of his three targets in the passing game for just one yard while returning a punt for 32 yards. The 28-year-old big-play threat came into the Week 7 contest against KC with 14 receptions on 27 targets for 162 yards without a touchdown in six games in his first full season with Seattle. Shaheed helped the Seahawks win the Lombardi Trophy last year, but he struggled to get much going in the passing game in nine regular-season games after being acquired from the New Orleans Saints, catching only 15 of 26 targets for 188 yards and zero touchdowns. If he is available to play in the Week 8 contest next Monday night against the Chicago Bears, he will be a boom/bust WR4/flex in deeper leagues for fantasy managers.
Source: Seahawks PR
Source: Seahawks PR
Bryce Young's Three Turnovers Headline an Ugly Divisional Loss
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed just 14 of his 27 pass attempts for 163 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions during Sunday's Week 7 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also lost a fumble and took five sacks. Young has faced plenty of adversity since entering the league as the No. 1 pick in 2023, but the five sacks and three turnovers make this one of his ugliest games yet. The 25-year-old played so poorly in the 43-13 loss that he was benched for Kenny Pickett when the game became out of hand. This game was certainly an anomaly for Young, who entered this week with 12 touchdowns and just two turnovers through his first five games this season. Because of his strong record pre-Week 7, we'd expect him to bounce back as a fringe top-12 fantasy quarterback for Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen Coker Finds Little Success in Week 7
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker was unable to do basically anything during Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coming into this game, Coker was actually a fairly consistent option, but he had little success on Sunday. Coker hauled in one of his four targets for nine yards in the blowout loss. The Panthers' offense struggled heavily as a whole unit, so fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into this dud. Coker has been mostly good when healthy this season. The expectation is that Coker will bounce back against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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