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
October 21, 2025
Detroit Lions tight end
Sam LaPorta was held in check by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7, recording three catches for 15 yards on three targets in his team's 24-9 win. LaPorta had recorded back-to-back games with five catches, 50-plus receiving yards, and a touchdown leading into Week 7, so his showing against Tampa Bay is a letdown for fantasy managers. LaPorta has recorded 29 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns on 36 targets across seven games so far this season. With an average of just over five targets per game, LaPorta will likely remain heavily reliant on touchdowns for fantasy production. Detroit has its bye in Week 8 before hosting the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Arizona Cardinals running back
Michael Carter took over RB1 duties in the backfield in Week 5 in the first game without
Trey Benson (knee), but since then, it's been
Bam Knight leading the way. For a second straight contest in the Week 7 loss to the visiting Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Knight was the Cardinals' clear backfield leader, handling 14 carries for 57 yards while also catching three of his four targets for seven yards. Carter, meanwhile, had seven carries for only 11 yards and caught both of his targets for 25 yards through the air. The 24-year-old Knight now has 25 rushing attempts for 91 yards and a touchdown while adding four catches (six targets) for 27 yards as a pass-catcher the last two weeks as the team's preferred choice out of the backfield. Arizona has a bye in Week 8, but Knight should be the Cardinals' RB1 for at least another game in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys with Benson on Injured Reserve.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
San Francisco 49ers running back
Brian Robinson Jr. had his most productive game since Week 1 on Sunday night. San Francisco leaned heavily on their rushing attack in their Week 7 win over the Atlanta Falcons, allowing Robinson nine carries, tying his season high. Robinson also hit new highs in rushing yards (36) and snap share (26%). His on-field involvement in Week 7 is significant. In Weeks 1 and 2, he had shares of 24% and 23%, respectively, but his rate fluctuated between 7% and 15% in the games since then. Robinson's rebound in usage in Week 7 might be an indicator that the team is realizing they need to do better at divying up the backfield workload to take pressure off
Christian McCaffrey. Robinson is not producing enough in his change-of-pace role to start in fantasy football, but he is one of the more valuable handcuffs in the league.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
October 21, 2025
New York Jets running back
Isaiah Davis is the clear RB2 behind starter
Breece Hall, with
Braelon Allen (knee) injured, but he wasn't able to get anything going on just four touches in Sunday's ugly 13-6 loss to the visiting Carolina Panthers in Week 7. Davis had only two rushing attempts for 10 yards and caught two of his four targets for 22 yards on a day when starting quarterback
Justin Fields was benched in favor of veteran
Tyrod Taylor in the second half. The 23-year-old is the fantasy handcuff to Hall as long as Allen remains out, but Davis has seen more than two carries in a game just once this year and has yet to rush for over 18 yards in a bad Jets offense. Davis is averaging 4.4 yards per carry on his 10 rushing attempts through seven games. Perhaps the Jets' offense can improve if Fields is benched permanently, but Davis won't have any standalone fantasy value behind Hall. Davis is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
San Francisco 49ers tight end
Jake Tonges saw just seven snaps in the team's 20-10 win on Sunday Night Football in Week 7. With
George Kittle (hamstring) back from injured reserve, the former All-Pro reclaimed his spot at the top of the depth chart, and Tonges fell to third in the pecking order behind
Luke Farrell as well. Tonges operated as San Francisco's top tight end while Kittle was on injured reserve after injuring his hamstring in Week 1. Injuries to wide receivers
Ricky Pearsall (knee) and
Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs, shoulder) over the subsequent weeks turned Tonges into a streaming candidate. During Kittle's absence, Tonges had three top-12 finishes at his position. Kittle's return tanks Tonges' fantasy value for San Francisco's Week 8 matchup against Houston and beyond. He can be dropped in all leagues.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
October 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
Calvin Austin III (shoulder), who has missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, is scheduled to work back into practice this week, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. The head coach said he's "optimistic" for Austin potentially returning on Sunday night to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 8, but as always, his participation in practice will be the guide for whether he plays on Sunday. The 26-year-old wideout might need a full practice at some point this week to be cleared to play this weekend. If he does make his return, he should slot back in as Pittsburgh's WR2 behind
DK Metcalf. In his four games this year before his shoulder injury, Austin had 10 catches on 17 targets for 139 yards and two touchdowns. With six teams on bye in Week 8, Austin would be in play as at least a WR4/flex in fantasy football if he's able to make his return against the Packers.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike DeFabo
October 21, 2025
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (hamstring) returned from injured reserve in time for the team's 20-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7. To the dismay of fantasy football managers awaiting his return, Kittle finished the game with zero receptions and saw only two targets. If there is a silver lining, it is that the 49ers did not hold back on getting Kittle on the field. The tight end saw an 81% snap share, which was the second-highest rate among the team's offensive skill position players. Rather than rely on Kittle as a pass-catcher, San Francisco utilized him primarily as an extra blocker in the run game. A healthy Kittle usually operates as one of the 49ers' primary targets, and with wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall's (knee) status for Week 8 up in the air, a rebound to TE1 territory against the Houston Texans is within reach.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
October 21, 2025
In his first game action since Week 4 due to injury, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Darnell Mooney was the team's leading receiver in Sunday night's 20-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, catching three of his five targets for 68 yards. While his 68 yards led the team on a night where Atlanta's offense was stuck in the mud, Mooney's targets were third behind receiver
Drake London and tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. Most of the 27-year-old's production came on a 38-yard hookup with quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. late in the second quarter. Mooney and the Falcons' passing game have a get-right matchup upcoming this Sunday against the 1-6 Miami Dolphins, but he figures to continue to be an inconsistent boom/bust WR4/flex for fantasy football managers. Mooney has caught only 10 of his 21 targets through four games this year for 147 yards, and he has yet to find the end zone. He's currently rostered in just 29% of Yahoo leagues. Don't rule him out as a decent flex streamer this week with six teams on bye.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
Denver Broncos tight end
Evan Engram got off to an inauspicious start to his Broncos tenure this year with four catches for only 33 yards in the first two weeks, and then he missed the Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers with a back injury. Head coach Sean Payton kept talking up Engram in the offseason as a key weapon in the offense, but there was no evidence to back that up early on. The 31-year-old might be starting to come around for fantasy managers, though, as he has back-to-back five-catch, 42-yard performances in Weeks 6 and 7, and he also scored for the first time in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Right now, Engram is only rostered in 57% of Yahoo fantasy leagues. With six teams on bye in Week 8, he should be on your radar this week if you're in need of a TE, especially in a matchup this Sunday against a Dallas Cowboys defense that has been friendly to opposing passing attacks this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
October 21, 2025
Washington Commanders veteran backup quarterback
Marcus Mariota may be forced to make his third start of the season if
Jayden Daniels (hamstring) is unable to play on Monday Night Football in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. It makes the 31-year-old signal-caller worth a look on the waiver wire in two-QB superflex leagues heading into Week 8 action. Daniels tweaked his hamstring in the Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and although his injury isn't considered a long-term one, his status is up in the air to play this week. Mariota replaced the injured Daniels on Sunday in the third quarter and finished 4-for-10 for 63 yards and an interception while also carrying the ball twice for 34 yards. In his two starts earlier this year when Daniels was out with a knee sprain, Mariota went 31-for-48 passing for 363 yards, three TDs, and one pick while rushing for 60 yards and another score. Mariota is still mobile at his age, but it will be a bad matchup on the road against a strong KC defense if he's forced to make his third start of 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
George Pickens is having an excellent first season in Dallas, and the Cowboys could be considering an extension for him. "Any and everything about George Pickens has crossed our minds. ... Certainly he's a topic of interest and discussions because of the success he's having," owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. The 24-year-old currently has 36 receptions on 54 targets for 607 yards and a career-high six touchdowns through the first seven weeks of the 2025 campaign. Those numbers have been good enough to place Pickens as the No. 4 fantasy wideout in half-PPR scoring. It helped that fellow wideout
CeeDee Lamb missed three games due to a high-ankle sprain, but Pickens was still productive with four catches and 82 yards in Week 7 after Lamb returned. He should continue to remain heavily involved in Dallas' pass-heavy attack along Lamb, making him a weekly must-start in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jon Machota
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