RADIO
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
Trevor Story Could Lose Hold of Red Sox Shortstop Job in 2027
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic speculates that Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story may not be guaranteed to hold the team's starting shortstop job in 2027. Story had a rough year in 2026, hitting .235 with five home runs, 29 RBI, 24 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 266 plate appearances. He's also dealt with myriad injury issues since signing with Boston ahead of the 2022 season, reaching 400 plate appearances just once in five years with the Red Sox. Story has one year and $25 million remaining on his current contract with Boston, which makes it unlikely that the team will be able to move on from him without taking on significant dead money. However, the Red Sox have top shortstop prospect Franklin Arias, who hit .331 across 188 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2026, waiting in the wings. If Story gets off to a slow start in 2027 or suffers another injury, his role in Boston could be in danger.
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
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
Brandon Marsh Likely to Be Limited to a Platoon Role in 2027
Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski described outfielder Brandon Marsh as a "platoon-type guy (who) hits right-handed pitching and he hasn't done very well versus left-handed pitching," per Charlotte Varnes and Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Marsh set career highs by appearing in 155 games and logging 568 plate appearances in 2026, slashing .260/.304/.408 with 18 home runs, 62 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. Marsh got off to an excellent start to the year, but he hit just .184 with three home runs across 205 plate appearances after the All-Star break. The 28-year-old has struggled to hit left-handed pitching throughout his time in the big leagues, posting a .588 OPS with a 38.1% strikeout rate across 603 career plate appearances against southpaws. While his combination of power and speed gives him some appeal in deeper fantasy leagues, Marsh's upside is limited if he does not see everyday playing time.
Source: The Athletic - Charlotte Varnes, Matt Gelb
Source: The Athletic - Charlotte Varnes, Matt Gelb
Sam LaPorta is a Non-Factor During Week 7 Win
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta was non-existent during Sunday's Week 7 matchup versus the Green Bay Packers. LaPorta has been one of the best fantasy tight ends this season, but he gave fantasy managers a dud on Sunday. LaPorta hauled in one of his two targets for 18 yards during the victory. The targets, receptions, and yardage were all season lows for LaPorta. Surprisingly, LaPorta was unable to do much in a game where quarterback Jared Goff threw for over 300 yards. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried and chalk this game up as a fluke. LaPorta will almost certainly post better results against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Blake Corum Sees a Season High in Touches
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum saw an increased workload during Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Corum has seen his role grow in recent weeks, but he saw heavy usage this weekend. Corum carried the ball 17 times for 93 yards and a touchdown in the win. The 25-year-old has now found the end zone in three straight games. Kyren Williams will remain the lead back in Los Angeles, but Corum keeps gaining more reps due to his solid play. The expectation is that Corum is going to remain a significant part of this offense going forward. He should be in the mix as a RB3 or flex play for the Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Michael Busch Focused on Regaining Pull-Side Power in 2027
Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch said he is focused on being more aggressive at the plate to regain his pull-side power in 2027, per Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. Busch had a breakout year in 2025, hitting .261 with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, and 78 runs scored across 592 plate appearances. However, the 28-year-old's numbers regressed across the board in 2026, as he hit .242 with only 20 homers and 77 RBI across 710 plate appearances this past season. Busch's walk rate improved to a career-best 13.0%, but his pull rate fell from 46.8% to 40.0%. Perhaps due to letting the ball travel, Busch's barrel rate plummeted from 17.1% to 9.1%. If the lefty slugger can regain some of his missing power over the offseason, he would become a much more attractive option for fantasy managers in 2027.
Source: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney, Sahadev Sharma
Source: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney, Sahadev Sharma
Amon-Ra St. Brown Sets New Career High in Week 7
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was unstoppable during Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The stud wideout had no issues torching this secondary all game long. He hauled in nine of his 11 targets for 153 yards in the win. The 153-yard performance is a new career-high for Brown, topping his 142-yard performance from Week 2. The Lions continue to feed St. Brown the ball with 33 targets over his last three games. Fantasy managers should expect his numbers to take a hit next week against a tough Minnesota Vikings defense. St. Brown is still a strong WR1 despite a tough matchup in Week 8.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Trey McBride Continues to Ascend, Records Season-High 111 Yards, TD
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride was everywhere in the team's 30-16 loss on Sunday to the visiting Denver Broncos in Week 7. Although the Cardinals could not pull off a second straight upset, McBride did work for his fantasy managers, catching 10 of his 13 targets for a season-high 111 yards and a touchdown. He led the Cardinals in all receiving categories and became the first tight end in NFL history with 400 regular-season catches in his first five seasons. The 26-year-old now has 406 career receptions after another 10 grabs against Denver. The Cardinals do not have a feared offense, but McBride is one of, if not the best, tight ends in football. He has at least seven catches in all seven games so far in 2026 while adding four touchdowns for his fantasy managers. McBride will have an even higher target ceiling for the rest of the year after the Cardinals traded away former first-round receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., too. He should be almost a lock for at least another seven catches while approaching the century mark in yards in a very favorable Week 8 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and their suspect passing defense.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
