October 16, 2025
Washington Commanders wide receiver
Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) was not seen on the practice field on Thursday during the portion open to the media, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. McLaurin returned to a limited practice on Wednesday for the first time since injuring his quad in Week 3, but a downgrade to a DNP reminds us that he's not a lock to return in Week 7 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, even if it's just a maintenance day. Additionally, it appears fellow wideout
Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) is missing a second straight practice, so there are some concerns about Washington's WR depth heading into the weekend. The team also placed
Noah Brown (groin, knee) on Injured Reserve this weeek. At best, McLaurin will likely be questionable heading into Sunday's game, and he could has his snaps monitored if he puts an end to a three-game absence. McLaurin's Friday status will be crucial.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ben Standig
October 16, 2025
ESPN's Sarah Barshop reports that Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Puka Nacua (ankle) was not seen at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday. Head coach Sean McVay called Nacua day-to-day earlier this week after he injured his ankle in the Week 6 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Still, a second straight missed practice this week suggests that the Rams are leaning toward holding the star pass-catcher out of Sunday's game in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It makes sense for L.A., with its bye coming in Week 8. Nacua has one more day to get back on the field on Friday, but all signs are pointing to the Rams keeping him out until they play again in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. Fantasy managers should already be thinking about who to replace Nacua with in their lineups in Week 7.
Davante Adams will operate as the WR1 if Nacua is inactive, with
Jordan Whittington and
Tutu Atwell (hamstring) also starting in three-wide sets.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
October 16, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee) is not on the practice field for Thursday's session, according to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. Njoku injured his knee in the Week 6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and has now missed the first two practices this week, putting him on track to miss Sunday's Week 7 contest versus the Miami Dolphins. He will need to get back on the practice field on Friday to have any chance of playing this weekend. Njoku hasn't been a strong TE1 play in 2025 in fantasy football because of the presence of impressive rookie TE
Harold Fannin Jr. Even though the 29-year-old's injury doesn't appear to be a serious one, he could miss at least one week. If he does not suit up on Sunday, his next chance to play would come in Week 8 against the New England Patriots. Fannin will be a clear TE1 asset for fantasy managers against Miami if Njoku sits.
--Keith HernandezSource: Akron Beacon Journal - Chris Easterling
October 16, 2025
Carolina Panthers running back
Chuba Hubbard (calf), who has missed the last two games due to a calf injury, said on Wednesday that he expects to play on Sunday when the team travels to New York to take on the Jets, according to David Newton of ESPN. Hubard was limited in Wednesday's practice but was in full pads on Thursday. The 26-year-old was the Panthers' clear RB1 before his calf injury, but during his two-game absence,
Rico Dowdle exploded on the scene to go for 400-plus scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 60 touches for Carolina. Dowdle has surely earned a bigger piece of the backfield pie, even with Hubbard potentially returning in Week 7, but the coaching staff would not commit to Dowdle starting this weekend. If Hubbard indeed returns against the Jets, the Panthers could look to split the backfield evenly, making it tougher for both RBs to hit their true ceilings.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - David Newton
October 16, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson (back, hip), who was listed as questionable for Thursday Night Football against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, is not expected to play, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Hendrickson wanted to play, but it doesn't appear he will on a short turnaround after tweaking his back in the Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He is hopeful that he will return in Week 8 against the New York Jets. Cincy's already weak defense will be in a dire situation on a short week without Hendrickson available to put pressure on veteran quarterback
Aaron Rodgers. Hendrickson's likely absence is definitely good news for anyone streaming Rodgers this week. With the 30-year-old most likely inactive on Thursday, the Bengals will hope that rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart can pick up the pass-rushing slack.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
October 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver
Tez Johnson has been trending up the last two weeks with five receptions, 104 yards, and a touchdown on seven targets with
Mike Evans (hamstring) and
Chris Godwin (leg) sidelined. Fellow rookie receiver
Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) was also injured in the Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Although Johnson only caught one pass (on three targets) on Sunday, he played a season-high 72% of the offensive snaps and made his one reception count with a 45-yard touchdown, his first in the NFL. Evans could return on Monday against the Detroit Lions for the first time since straining his hamstring, but Egbuka and Godwin are expected to be inactive. It means that the speedy 23-year-old Johnson could feature more again in Tampa's pass-heavy offense as a deep threat for quarterback
Baker Mayfield against a depleted Lions secondary. Johnson is setting up as a boom/bust flex option in Week 7 in deeper fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
October 16, 2025
Not only did Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver
Luther Burden III see his largest workload in Monday night's win over the Washington Commanders, but he could see even more involvement moving forward with teammate
DJ Moore (groin) injured. Burden saw a season-high four targets in Week 6, catching all four for 51 yards in the 25-24 victory over Washington. Moore injured his groin during the game and was taken to a local hospital for overnight observation before missing Wednesday's practice. If Moore is unable to play this weekend against the New Orleans Saints, Burden would become Chicago's clear No. 2 passing target behind
Rome Odunze in a plus matchup. The 21-year-old has been inconsistent in his first NFL season, but the upside is obvious after he caught three passes for 101 yards and his first touchdown on Sept. 21 against the Dallas Cowboys.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
October 16, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Josh Downs (concussion) is missing a second straight practice this week on Thursday due to a concussion he suffered in the Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. In addition to Downs, fellow receiver
Ashton Dulin (chest) is missing a second straight practice, which means that Indy's WR corps could be thin this weekend on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers. If both Downs and Dulin are not cleared by Sunday,
Adonai Mitchell, who was a healthy scratch last Sunday, will probably be active again.
Alec Pierce would also be elevated to the No. 2 role behind
Michael Pittman Jr. Downs and Dulin have one more day to return to practice, but right now, it's not looking good for their Week 7 statuses. Pierce would be in play as a WR4/flex option in starting fantasy lineups if Downs is inactive.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
October 16, 2025
New York Jets quarterback
Justin Fields has not thrown an interception through the first six games of his first season in the Big Apple, but he admitted on Wednesday that he has been too conservative as a passer. "I feel like I've been a little bit too conservative in a sense," Fields said. "Probably just [need to] be a little bit more aggressive. The Jets have not won a game in 2025, and Fields took nine sacks and finished with minus-10 net passing yards against the Denver Broncos in Week 6, a franchise low and the fewest in the NFL since 1998. In addition to being 0-6, New York is 25th in scoring (20.5 points per game), and Fields could be in danger of being replaced by veteran
Tyrod Taylor if things don't improve soon. Fields could look to be more aggressive in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers, but he's likely to be without top receiver
Garrett Wilson (knee). The only WR with a greater target share this year than Wilson (33.3%) is
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (37%). Fields has nowhere to go but up after his Week 6 performance, but without Wilson, he'll be more of a high-end QB2 asset in fantasy this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini
October 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver
Mike Evans (hamstring) returned to practice on Thursday, but he was limited after missing the last three games with a hamstring strain, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com. Still, it's great news for an extremely banged-up Bucs offense, as receivers
Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and
Chris Godwin (leg), and running back
Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) are all expected to be out in a Week 7 Monday night showdown against the Detroit Lions. Evans is making good progress from his hamstring strain, but the Bucs will continue to monitor him before determining whether he will return on Monday night. The 32-year-old future Hall of Famer could be limited from a snap-count perspective if he returns, though, so he's certainly still a dicey fantasy option in Week 7. Even if Evans returns,
Sterling Shepard will be an attractive fantasy streamer in what should be a pass-heavy game script against a thinned-out Lions secondary.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buccaneers.com - Scott Smith
October 16, 2025
ESPN's Rich Cimini reports that New York Jets wide receiver
Josh Reynolds (hip) was taking part in the portion of practice that was open to the media on Thursday. It's progress for Reynolds after he was listed as a non-participant in practice on Wednesday. It's good news for the Jets offense, with top wideout
Garrett Wilson (knee) expected to miss Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers due to a hyperextended knee that he suffered in Sunday's loss in London to the Denver Broncos. Reynolds still isn't necessarily in the clear to play this weekend, but a return to practice puts him on the right track to be active in Week 7. And with Wilson probably unavailable against Carolina, Reynolds could lead New York in targets as they look for their first win in 2025. Reynolds deserves attention on the waiver wire in deeper leagues with Wilson injured, but expectations must be tempered in one of the worst passing offenses in football.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini
October 16, 2025
There was no sign of New York Jets wide receiver
Garrett Wilson (knee) at practice on Thursday, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Although the Jets aren't ruling Wilson out for their Week 7 contest against the Carolina Panthers, he's looking like a long shot to play this Sunday after hyperextending his knee in last week's loss to the Denver Broncos in London. Previous reports suggested that the 25-year-old wideout could miss multiple weeks, so fantasy managers definitely need to move him to their benches.
Josh Reynolds (hip) returned to practice on Thursday after sitting out on Wednesday, and he figures to see a sizeable role increase going forward for however long Wilson is out. In addition to Reynolds,
Allen Lazard (personal),
Arian Smith, and
Tyler Johnson will need to do more to help a struggling Jets passing attack. With Wilson likely to miss time, rookie tight end
Mason Taylor could end up leading the team in targets.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini
October 16, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Tyquan Thornton was the team's primary explosive deep threat earlier this season when the Chiefs were without
Xavier Worthy due to a shoulder injury and
Rashee Rice due to a suspension. From Weeks 2 through 5, Thornton caught 11 of his 21 targets for 231 yards and three touchdowns. He played over 70% of the offensive snaps for the second straight week in Sunday night's win over the Detroit Lions, but Thornton was not targeted at all. While the 25-year-old has been a key piece of the offense this year, fantasy managers should expect his snap counts to drop considerably now that Rashee Rice is ready to make his 2025 debut in Week 7 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs are expected to use Rice heavily right away, too, so with Worthy also back, Thornton is fading into a depth role in KC.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 16, 2025
Dallas Cowboys second-year wide receiver
Ryan Flournoy went off for six catches and 114 yards on nine targets in the Week 5 win over the New York Jets with both
CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and
KaVontae Turpin (foot) sidelined. However, he was unable to maintain that momentum in last week's loss to the Carolina Panthers, securing only three of six targets for 30 receiving yards. Flournoy was a short-term waiver-wire option with both Lamb and Turpin injured, but it looks like that window could be closing, with both Lamb and Turpin returning to practice and potentially the field this Sunday against the division-rival Washington Commanders. Quarterback
Dak Prescott could prefer Flournoy over
Jalen Tolbert in the passing game, but Flournoy won't be a realistic deep-league streaming option in Week 7 if both Lamb and Turpin are back in action.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 16, 2025
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that linebacker Fred Warner's ankle surgery, performed on Tuesday, went "great," but there is no firm estimate for his recovery, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. When asked if Warner might be able to return for the playoffs, Shanahan said, "I'm not even thinking about that right now." Warner is likely to need four months of recovery after fracturing and dislocating his ankle. It will take six weeks for his ankle to heal, another six weeks of rehab, and four weeks of what Dr. Eric Giza called restoration. Either way, Warner will not return during the 2025 regular season and can be dropped in single-year IDP fantasy leagues. The loss of the 28-year-old four-time Pro Bowler cannot be overstated for San Fran's defense, especially after they already lost All-Pro pass-rusher Nick Bosa (knee) for the season due to a torn ACL.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
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