October 21, 2025
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that if the team were playing on a Sunday in Week 8, quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) "might have a chance to go." Veteran
Carson Wentz will make a fifth straight start in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night, but O'Connell's comments seem to put McCarthy on track to be available to start in Week 9 against the division-rival Detroit Lions, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. McCarthy was put through an on-field workout on Tuesday morning. The Vikings are encouraged by his progress from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered back in Week 2, but "he's just not there" on a short week. The 22-year-old will be the emergency QB3 again this week behind
Max Brosmer on Thursday night. Minnesota still believes in McCarthy as their QB of the future, but more growing pains should be expected from fantasy managers when he eventually returns to the starting gig this year, whether it be in Week 9 or later.
UPDATE: McCarthy was limited again in practice on Tuesday.--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
October 21, 2025
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Tuesday that veteran quarterback
Carson Wentz (shoulder) will make another start in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football against the hosting Los Angeles Chargers, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
Max Brosmer will serve as the backup, with
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) likely serving as the emergency third QB on game day again. McCarthy will be Minnesota's starting QB again when he's fully recovered from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in Week 2, but the Vikes aren't going to rush the former first-rounder back. Barring a setback, it's more likely that McCarthy makes his return as the starter in Week 9 versus the division-rival Detroit Lions. Wentz has played through an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder since Week 5, but he's fine to play through it and will make for a low-end QB2 option in superflex leagues this week against the Bolts. He has completed 66.9% of his 142 pass attempts for 1,072 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions in his four starts in place of McCarthy.
UPDATE: Wentz upgraded to a full practice on Tuesday.--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
October 21, 2025
The Minnesota Vikings are designating running back
Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) to return from Injured Reserve on Tuesday, meaning he could potentially come off IR to play in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Vikings will now have 21 days to activate Jones from IR officially, but since he did not practice on Monday, it seems likely that Minnesota will wait another week to bring him back, which would come in Week 9 on Sunday, Nov. 2, against the division-rival Detroit Lions. The 30-year-old was serving as the Vikings' lead back before he injured his hamstring in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 14 in Week 2. Since Jones' injury,
Jordan Mason has been the team's clear lead back, and he should continue in that role for one more week on Thursday in L.A. This is fantasy managers' cue to check to see if Jones is available on the waiver wire.
UPDATE: Jones was limited in Tuesday's practice.--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
October 21, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby (knee) left Sunday's game against the Chiefs after taking a low block to the knee, but that apparently has not stopped the Dallas Cowboys from inquiring about his availability. With the NFL trade deadline less than two weeks away, the Cowboys have reportedly reached out to see what it would take to acquire him. Crosby and the Raiders agreed to a three-year contract extension before the 2025 season, so it's unlikely the team has any plans to deal him. Still, in IDP leagues, Dallas would be a dream landing spot for the All-Pro pass rusher, as the Cowboys have forced opponents into obvious passing situations far more commonly than the Raiders. In most other fantasy formats, though, the Cowboys' defense has been a gift for opposing offenses, and fantasy managers should be rooting for the status quo, especially those rostering pass catchers from the Vikings, Chargers, or Commanders, as those three teams make up Dallas' fantasy playoff schedule.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Trey Wingo
October 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Alec Pierce has had at least four catches and 65 yards in three of his five games played this season, and he is coming off a season-high five catches for 98 yards against the Chargers. While he has yet to find the endzone in 2025, he's seen increasing involvement in a Colts offense that has been historically good through seven weeks. Likely, he's already rostered, but he is a priority waiver add wherever he's still available, as he's virtually guaranteed at least one big play per game. Only once in his five games has he failed to bring in a catch of at least 25 yards, and his 21.1-yard average depth of target trails only
Tyquan Thornton. He should continue to provide an untraditional floor, with the potential for a huge game if he's able to pop one for a score.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Carolina Panthers second-year wide receiver
Xavier Legette is coming off the best game of his career, having caught nine passes for 92 yards and a score in a win over the Jets. With
Bryce Young leaving the game in the third quarter with a high ankle sprain, three of those catches came from backup
Andy Dalton, accounting for 54 yards on a 57% target share. It's obviously not much of a sample size and could have been skewed by the fact that rookie
Tetairoa McMillan drew the attention of the Jets' top corner Sauce Gardner, but Legette and Dalton have shown a connection in the past. In an uninspiring waiver week, while six teams are on bye, Legette should be added wherever he's available and can be considered for a flex start against the Bills.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
After a 31-13 loss to the Patriots, in which the team had only 12 rushing attempts, Tennessee Titans OC Nick Holz told reporters, "You want to be able to run the ball a little more." Six of the team's carries went to
Tony Pollard, who converted them into only 18 yards but salvaged his fantasy day with six catches for an additional 43 yards. Unfortunately, the Titans are unlikely to experience a sudden influx of positive game scripts. Through seven weeks, they've run a total of 11 offensive plays while holding a lead. Pollard can still be started because of his reliable work in the passing game, but playing mostly from behind, along with a slowly increasing workload from
Tyjae Spears, is not a recipe for a second-half fantasy boon.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Jim Wyatt
October 21, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs was on the injury report with an illness and a calf injury in Week 7 and was a true game-time decision for the Packers in their game against the Arizona Cardinals. Despite those ailments, Jacobs still put up 58 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns in the Packers' win over Arizona. Despite Jacobs averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season, he's scored eight touchdowns on the ground and caught 16 passes for 179 yards through the air this season to help balance out the lack of efficiency on the ground. Jacobs is currently the RB7 on the season, averaging over 20 fantasy points per game, so we can't nitpick too much as long as he's a dominant RB1 for fantasy. The Packers face the Steelers in Week 8, where Jacobs remains locked in as a fantasy RB1.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Green Bay Packers tight end
Tucker Kraft has been solidly productive over the last couple of weeks and put up his best target-earning game of the season against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7. Kraft earned a career-high 10 targets, parlaying that opportunity into five receptions, 55 yards, and a touchdown. With injuries to multiple receivers in this Packers' offense, including
Dontayvion Wicks (calf) leaving Week 7's game early, Kraft and wide receiver
Romeo Doubs have taken the bulk of the pass-catching duties for Green Bay. Both Kraft and Doubs combined for over 60 percent of the Packers' targets in Week 7, up from Week 6's 42 percent mark. Kraft is a top tight end option against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to the tight end position this season.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Romeo Doubs has quietly been one of the most trustworthy receivers on this Packers team in 2025, but especially over the last few weeks. Doubs has three straight games of eight or more targets, with at least five receptions and 55 yards in each game. For the first time in Doubs' career, he has a stable points floor for fantasy. He's been the go-to wide receiver for
Jordan Love and is taking full advantage of the fact that the Packers' receiving group has been hit hard by injuries. The Packers head to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers in Week 8. With Doubs on this nice run of fantasy production, and the Steelers giving up the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, consider Doubs a solid WR3 option in Week 8.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson said that the quarterback decision is "completely up to the coach," and ESPN's Rich Cimini is reporting that head coach Aaron Glenn is "moving toward" naming veteran
Tyrod Taylor as his starter heading into Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to sources. Glenn benched
Justin Fields in the second half in Sunday's ugly 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 7, and it appears that Fields will remain benched moving forward. The 26-year-old Fields has flopped in his first year in New York, completing 63.7% of his 135 pass attempts for 845 yards, only four touchdowns, and no interceptions in his six starts. It could end up being a temporary benching, but this news obviously tanks what little fantasy value Fields had left. Taylor will be a low-upside QB3 option in superflex leagues in his first start of the year in Week 8 on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini
October 21, 2025
Detroit Lions running back
David Montgomery had a rough game in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recording 13 carries for 21 yards and two catches for 18 yards. 15 total touches is a positive sign for Montgomery after he saw just six in Week 6, but the 28-year-old has now been held under 25 rushing yards and out of the end zone in three out of the last four weeks. Lions running back
Jahmyr Gibbs dominated in Week 7, recording 218 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 20 total touches. With Detroit not having as much success in the power-run game as in years past, it appears Montgomery could be sliding into a true RB2 role behind Gibbs. At best, Montgomery profiles as a touchdown-dependent flex option for fantasy managers as the Lions head into their Week 8 bye.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers turned back the clock with four touchdown passes last Thursday night in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and now he'll be turning his focus on Sunday night in Week 8 to beating his former team, the Green Bay Packers. If Rodgers beats Green Bay, he would join Brett Favre,
Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning as the only QBs in NFL history to have beaten all 32 teams. Right now, Rodgers is one of seven QBs with wins over 31 franchises. Through seven weeks, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer sits as the QB17 in average points per game. He's gone 118-for-172 passing for 1,270 yards, 14 touchdowns, and five interceptions in his six games played in his first year in the Steel City. Coming off his big Week 7 performance against Cincy, Rodgers should draw some looks off the waiver wire in single-QB leagues for his revenge game against Green Bay with six teams on bye in Week 8.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Talk - Michael David Smith
October 21, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Jauan Jennings' (ankle, ribs, shoulder) seven targets in Week 7 were second on the team to
Christian McCaffrey's eight in the team's Week 7 win over the Falcons. In the 49ers' run-heavy attack on Sunday night, Jennings was the only player other than McCaffrey to see more than two targets. Despite the relatively heavy usage, the receiver only brought in four receptions for 31 yards. This latest letdown perpetuates Jennings' disappointing 2025, wherein he has 14 receptions for 167 yards and one touchdown in five games.
Ricky Pearsall's (knee) status is uncertain, but with tight end
George Kittle (hamstring) back from injured reserve, Jennings might see his target share scaled back. Jennings projects as a low-end WR3 for the 49ers' upcoming matchup against the Texans in Week 8.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
October 21, 2025
Detroit Lions wide receiver
Jameson Williams saw just two targets and was held without a catch in his team's 24-9 Week 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 24-year-old has been one of the most frustrating players in fantasy so far this season, recording just 17 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns across seven games. Williams has now been held to two or fewer receptions and 43 or fewer receiving yards in five out of seven contests. Williams ranks third on the Lions in targets (30), but his target volume has been more than doubled by Detroit's WR1,
Amon-Ra St. Brown (61). As long as Williams continues to average around four targets per game, he's going to have major bust weeks in fantasy. His big-play ability gives him the capability to pop on any given week, but Williams profiles as a boom/bust flex option at best heading into Detroit's Week 8 bye.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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