October 23, 2025
Washington Commanders wide receiver
Luke McCaffrey was held without a catch in the team's 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. It was a prime opportunity for a breakout, with the Cowboys ranking last in the NFL against wide receivers, and
Terry McLaurin (quad),
Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel), and
Noah Brown (groin) all sidelined. Despite the ideal setup, McCaffrey played just 52% of the snaps, finishing behind
Chris Moore and
Jaylin Lane, and nearly even with
Robbie Chosen, who was making his season debut. With McLaurin and Samuel both expected to return soon, McCaffrey's role will likely shrink even further. Fantasy managers can safely move on from McCaffrey in all formats.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
Ryan Flournoy has cooled off after his brief breakout stretch in Weeks 5 and 6, when he totaled nine receptions for 144 yards. In Week 7, Flournoy was held without a target, coinciding with the return of star receiver
CeeDee Lamb. Flournoy's snap share dropped from 65% during his productive stretch to just 28% in Week 7, as Lamb reclaimed his dominant role in the offense. With
George Pickens and
Jake Ferguson also commanding targets, Flournoy is now buried in a crowded depth chart. Fantasy managers can confidently drop Flournoy in all formats moving forward.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee) has yet to have his practice window opened, as he continues to recover from the multi-ligament knee injury that ended his 2024 season prematurely. While there's been speculation, he could miss all of 2025, general manager John Lynch recently noted that Aiyuk is "getting better and closer to a return." If he does make it back this season, Aiyuk will likely be eased in gradually, as most receivers returning from a major knee injury need time to regain form. By the time he's ready, the 49ers' receiving corps should be back at full strength, which could limit his target share in 2025. Fantasy managers should keep Aiyuk stashed in IR spots and remain cautiously optimistic about a late-season return.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell has cooled off significantly after his breakout Week 4 performance. With
Jaylen Warren returning to full strength, Gainwell has managed just nine carries for 36 yards over the past two games. Over that span, Gainwell has played 36% of the snaps, while Warren has commanded 61%, establishing himself as the team's lead back. Gainwell now profiles as a third-down back and a handcuff option in fantasy formats. While Gainwell could offer some PPR upside, unless Warren misses time, Gainwell holds little standalone fantasy value moving forward.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Kameron Johnson failed to build on his breakout Week 6 performance. After posting 64 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers, Johnson was shut out on Monday night versus the Detroit Lions. Johnson played just 20% of the offensive snaps in Week 7, falling behind
Emeka Egbuka,
Sterling Shepard, and
Tez Johnson in the receiver rotation. While injuries in the Buccaneers' receiving corps could eventually create opportunities, Johnson appears firmly locked into a backup role for now. Fantasy managers can safely drop him in all formats.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
There's been no doubting that 2025 has been disappointing so far for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Jauan Jennings (shoulder, ankle, ribs), who has seen injuries impact his availability and performance throughout the first seven weeks. But for managers still hanging on, there is some hope. Jennings played 85% of the team's snaps and drew seven targets last week, both his second-highest marks of the year and more in line with his normal usage. As Jennings' health improves, starting quarterback
Brock Purdy (toe) is also getting close to returning. Jennings has been prone to ups and downs during his career, but finished as the No. 24 overall PPR receiver in 2024. With Purdy coming back and some good matchups on the horizon, Jennings could see his stock rise in future weeks.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Josh Downs has had a steady, but unspectacular, start to the 2025 season. Through six games, Downs has logged 26 receptions on 34 targets for 217 yards and a touchdown, ranking as the WR51 on a per-game basis. While the production hasn't fully taken off, the Colts' offense has been one of the league's best, leading the NFL in scoring (33.1 PPG) and ranking fourth in total yards per game (387.1). Downs missed Week 7 against the Chargers while in concussion protocol, but a limited practice on Wednesday suggests he's trending in the right direction for Week 8. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress closely ahead of a favorable matchup against the Titans.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
New York Giants tight end
Daniel Bellinger delivered the best performance of his NFL career in Week 7, hauling in three receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Bellinger's production has noticeably climbed since the team turned to
Jaxson Dart at quarterback and lost star wideout
Malik Nabers to a Torn ACL. Since Week 4, the Giants have leaned heavily on 12 personnel (two-TE sets), ranking among the league leaders in usage. Both Bellinger and rookie
Theo Johnson have logged over 50% of the offensive snaps in three consecutive games, including last week, where they each played over 65%. While New York's brutal schedule has limited consistency, Bellinger's emergence is a bright spot. He'll face a tough challenge in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season. Bellinger isn't fantasy relevant just yet, but if this upward trend continues, he could work his way onto the fantasy radar in deeper leagues.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Running back
Bhayshul Tuten of the Jacksonville Jaguars is still looking for a breakout week as the Jags take their bye in Week 8. A popular mid-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, the rookie landed in a situation with two established running backs in
Travis Etienne Jr. and
Tank Bigsby, but the Jags traded Bigsby to Philadelphia early in the season. The move ostensibly opened the way for Tuten, but he has yet to play more than 30% of the team's snaps in a game so far. The rookie scored touchdowns in Weeks 2 and 3, but recorded just 19 touches in the four games that followed. Tuten remains a hold in dynasty formats, but he can be left on waivers in most redraft leagues as long as Etienne is healthy.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been among the most injury-impacted teams in the league so far this season, which should keep the door open for receiver
Sterling Shepard. Coming off a seven-catch performance against Detroit, the veteran looks in line for similar work in future weeks. The Bucs had to put
Mike Evans (concussion) back on injured reserve, which will sideline him for at least a month, while
Chris Godwin (leg) and
Jalen McMillan (neck) have yet to play this season.
Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) is also dealing with an injury and didn't practice on Wednesday, leaving Shepard, for the time being, as one of the team's top options along with tight end
Cade Otton. Managers in deeper formats or facing bye-week roster crunches should consider Shepard as a capable option under these circumstances.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Coming off a strong showing last week against San Francisco, Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. could be entering regular starting territory, even in one-tight-end formats. We'll pause for the groaning from the managers who had buyer's remorse on Pitts in previous years, but in 2025, his overall usage has been consistently good, and there could be even better fantasy production in future weeks. So far, the fifth-year tight end is playing 81% of the team's snaps and drawing more than six targets per game, and he enters Week 8 with three top-15 finishes in six tries. He has only three red-zone targets in six games, but the Falcons have one of the most favorable remaining schedules for a tight end in the NFL, giving him additional potential as the season goes on.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix could be primed for more fantasy success following his best game of the season in a Week 7 comeback against the New York Giants. The sophomore QB led the way in a wild fourth quarter that began with Denver trailing 19-0 and ended with the Broncos kicking a field goal as time expired to win 33-32. Along the way, Nix showed his best self: 279 yards passing, 48 yards rushing on just five carries, and four total touchdowns. He's rushed for at least 20 yards in five of seven weeks and has just one interception in his past 186 attempts, and now ranks as the No. 6 overall fantasy QB. Even better for Nix, his next game is against the Dallas Cowboys, who have surrendered more points to fantasy quarterbacks than any other team so far this season.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Following an excellent start to the 2025 season, Jacksonville Jaguars running back
Travis Etienne Jr. has cooled off as the team heads into its Week 8 bye. The fifth-year back is the No. 16 overall PPR running back, but has now recorded fewer than 50 yards rushing and no touchdowns in three straight games for the Jags, who were thoroughly quieted by the Los Angeles Rams in a 35-7 loss last week. Etienne drew only eight carries and one catch, his fewest number of touches in a game this season. The Jags traded
Tank Bigsby to Philadelphia earlier this year, and rookie
Bhayshul Tuten has yet to play more than a third of the team's snaps in a game, so Etienne is still the clear top option, but managers should continue to watch his usage in the weeks to come. Jacksonville travels to Las Vegas in Week 9.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Pro Football Reference
October 23, 2025
Chicago Bears kicker
Cairo Santos (thigh) was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, according to the team. Santos sustained the injury in Week 4 against the Raiders, before Chicago's Week 5 bye, and has missed the past two games. The 33-year-old kicker has been able to practice over the last few weeks, but hasn't yet gotten to the point of trusting it in a game setting.
Jake Moody has handled the kicking duties well in his absence, hitting eight of nine field goal attempts, including a game-winner in Week 6 at Washington. Moody would be a solid streaming option in Week 8 at Baltimore if Santos can't play again.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Chicago Bears
October 23, 2025
The New York Giants have signed former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Ray-Ray McCloud III to their practice squad, pending a physical, according to Art Stapleton of USA Today. McCloud was released from the Falcons on Tuesday after serving as a healthy inactive for the past two weeks. The 29-year-old wideout caught just six of 14 targets for 64 yards in four games with the Falcons before being released, but now lands with a New York Giants team that is desperate for wide receivers with star
Malik Nabers (knee) out for the season. McCloud was a useful receiver for Atlanta last season while also having plenty of experience as a return man on special teams. He figures to be in the mix for routes early in New York, but likely won't be relevant for fantasy purposes.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Art Stapleton
RADIO
