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Vrabel Not Concerned with A.J. Brown's Struggles
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has no concerns about wide receiver A.J. Brown and his early-season struggles. On Monday morning, Vrabel said, "I thought he dropped a few passes. I don't think anybody has to press here or anything else. I think we just have to get back into a rhythm offensively with the guys we have." In three games, Brown has caught nine of 20 targets for 101 yards and no touchdowns, with three drops. In his first game with New England, he suffered a high-ankle sprain that placed him on injured reserve, causing him to miss four games. Now healthy and with quarterback Drake Maye playing at a high level since Week 4, Brown should bounce back unless he continues to struggle. Fantasy managers should view Brown as a buy-low candidate, as he should produce WR2 numbers moving forward.
Source: Mike Reiss - ESPN
Source: Mike Reiss - ESPN
More Recent News
Jordyn Tyson Is a Waiver Wire Target Ahead of Potential Return
New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is a player to watch on the waiver wire as he prepares to return. Tyson suffered a hamstring injury in August, expected to cost him two months. He was placed on injured reserve but traveled with the team to France for their Week 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Saints heading into their Week 8 bye, many have speculated that Tyson could return to the lineup in Week 9, though the exact timing is unclear. The eighth overall pick is an unbelievable talent, totaling 1,817 yards and 19 touchdowns in 20 college games. With Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele operating as the top two receivers for quarterback Tyler Shough, Tyson may have trouble finding a fantasy-relevant role in this offense, but his elite talent will be hard to keep off the field once he's healthy.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Godwin Jr. Struggles Again, Droppable in Most Leagues
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. hauled in four of five targets for 27 yards in the 43-13 win over the Carolina Panthers. Godwin also had a touchdown called back due to an illegal shift penalty in the first half. After Emeka Egbuka (concussion/foot) was ruled out for Week 7, many expected Godwin to step up as the Buccaneers' lead receiver. Although he led the team in targets, Tampa Bay was unstoppable on the ground, leaving quarterback Baker Mayfield to throw only 11 times. Egbuka practiced on Friday, so signs point to a Week 8 return for the second-year receiver. If Egbuka returns, Godwin is a droppable player in fantasy leagues, as he continues to struggle to start his 10th season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Christian McCaffrey Not Worried About "Thigh" Injury
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (thigh) is not worried about his injury. McCaffrey suffered a thigh injury on the second drive of the game. He returned but had only four touches after the injury. McCaffrey said his leg "just died on me. I was just trying to keep it warm and not make it worse, but there's only so much you can do to get back to where you want to be. I'll be fine. I know that. I'll be all right." He was dominating early, totaling 69 yards and a touchdown on the first drive alone. With the 49ers on bye for Week 8, McCaffrey will have time to heal before facing the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. While fantasy managers shouldn't sound alarms yet, McCaffrey's thigh injury is concerning given the star running back's injury history.
Source: Pro Football Talk
Source: Pro Football Talk
Saquon Barkley Trending in Right Direction for Monday Night
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) is trending in the right direction ahead of their Week 7 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said Monday morning that Barkley will need to go through warmups to gauge how he feels, but everything looks good for his Week 7 return. Barkley suffered a hamstring injury in Week 4 and has missed two games, but he practiced all week and appears ready to return. In four games, Barkley has 36 carries for 182 yards and no touchdowns, with four receptions for eight yards. After being limited by injuries in Week 2 and Week 4, Barkley is off to the slowest start of his NFL career. He hopes to bounce back against the Cowboys, as he should have a larger role on the ground and through the air on Monday night.
Source: Mike Garafolo - NFL Network
Source: Mike Garafolo - NFL Network
Raiders Considering Naming Fernando Mendoza the Starter
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the team is evaluating everything, including whether to make rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza the starter. Following their 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Kubiak was asked about a quarterback change and said the team needs to evaluate its personnel, scheme, and offensive struggles. In seven games, veteran Kirk Cousins has completed 161 of 257 passes for 1,877 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. While Cousins has played solidly, the Raiders are on a four-game losing streak, and it's only a matter of time before they name the first-overall pick the starting quarterback. Fantasy managers should monitor the situation ahead of Week 8, as Mendoza could become a QB2 option in most formats if named the starter.
Source: Adam Schefter - ESPN
Source: Adam Schefter - ESPN
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 10 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
More News About A.J. Brown
