October 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell was quiet in Week 7, handling just three carries for 14 yards and gaining only one yard on two receptions in a 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, backfield mate
Jaylen Warren exploded for 158 total yards on 20 touches. Although Gainwell impressed when Warren missed Week 4, it is clear that he will operate in a purely complementary role as long as both backs are healthy. He could occasionally contribute in the passing game as a check-down option for quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, but Gainwell's standalone fantasy value has taken a significant hit over the past two weeks. The fifth-year pro will likely be dropped in shallow redraft leagues and should be viewed as a handcuff heading into a Week 8 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
--Jorden HillSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Tennessee Titans rookie tight end
Gunnar Helm appears to be a first-year player on the rise. Over the last three weeks, Helm has recorded 10 catches for 85 yards on 13 targets, bringing his season-long totals to 17 catches for 149 yards on 21 targets across seven games. After starting the season as the clear TE2 in Tennessee behind
Chig Okonkwo, Helm has been stealing playing time away from the veteran as the year progresses. Still, Helm has yet to play more than 66% of the Titans' offensive snaps in any game this season. Additionally, Tennessee has been one of the NFL's worst offenses, which limits Helm's ceiling. He cannot yet be trusted for consistent fantasy production, but Helm is a name to monitor, particularly in deep leagues.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Drake London had a quiet game in Sunday's 20-10 loss to the 49ers, registering four grabs for a scoreless 42 yards. Though the final line wasn't impressive, he did still draw 10 targets from
Michael Penix Jr., and it marked the third straight game in which the 24-year-old recorded double-digit targets. All those looks add up to a 32.0 percent target share, the third-highest total in the league, and the fourth-year pro owns 40.1 percent of the team's air yards, good for fourth-best in the NFL. With that type of usage, the 6-foot-4 wideout is a reliable WR1 on a weekly basis, and Week 8 will be no different. The Falcons take on the Dolphins in a home matchup this Sunday, a defense that has allowed 29.3 points per game, fourth-most thus far in 2025, although they've been much more generous to opposing ground attacks than through the air. Even so, London should see his fair share of targets in a game that the Falcons will be heavily favored.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
October 21, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Dyami Brown had cooled off going into the Week 7 London game against the Los Angeles Rams after two straight 50-yard games to begin the season. Despite catching only two of his four targets in Sunday's 35-7 blowout loss to the Rams, Brown reached the 50-yard mark for the third time this year despite playing a season-low 30% of the offensive snaps. The 25-year-old could have had a bigger game, but he spent time on the sideline and in the medical tent after injuring his right leg on a 39-yard catch in the third quarter. He was able to return to the game but was unable to do any further damage, and he's had exactly two receptions in each of the four games for the Jaguars. Brown heads into Jacksonville's Week 7 bye with only 16 catches, 194 yards, and one touchdown on 27 targets in six games in 2025 and really cannot be trusted as a WR4/flex in 12-team fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end
Terrance Ferguson played a season-high 49% of his team's offensive snaps in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It's a small bright spot in what's otherwise been a quiet rookie season for Ferguson, as he's recorded two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on four targets across five games played so far in 2025. Given how the Rams utilize their tight ends, it may be difficult for Ferguson to carve out a fantasy-relevant role this season. In Week 7, all four of Ferguson,
Tyler Higbee,
Davis Allen, and
Colby Parkinson played at least 37% of Los Angeles' offensive snaps. Unless there are multiple injuries in the Rams' tight end room, Ferguson should remain off the radar of redraft fantasy managers.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Darnell Washington came through with his first touchdown of the season in Week 7 but was otherwise quiet with three receptions for just two yards in the loss. Though he did see five targets, Washington was out-snapped and outperformed by
Pat Freiermuth and
Jonnu Smith, both of whom had underwhelmed early in the year. In Week 8, Washington will face the Green Bay Packers, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. This matchup makes Washington an intriguing DFS dart throw or deep-league flier, but it remains difficult to predict how opportunities will be distributed among Pittsburgh's tight ends in Arthur Smith's offense, keeping him off the fantasy radar in most redraft formats.
--Jorden HillSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant has had a quiet start to his first year in the NFL. Through seven games, the 22-year-old has recorded five catches for 46 yards on 10 targets. On the bright side, Bryant has seen a clear increase in playing time in recent weeks. After failing to play more than 33% of Denver's offensive snaps in any of the team's first four games, Bryant has played more than 50% of the snaps in each of the last three weeks. He also saw a career-high four targets in Week 7 against the New York Giants, but turned them into just one catch for six yards. Despite the encouraging trends, Bryant has a ways to go before he's worth rostering in redraft fantasy leagues. He maintains dynasty appeal, but can remain off the radar of redraft fantasy managers for the time being.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
DK Metcalf was held to just three receptions for 50 yards on five targets in Thursday night's 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He got off to a fast start, securing a 39-yard deep ball on Pittsburgh's opening drive, but took a backseat to tight end
Pat Freiermuth and running back
Jaylen Warren for much of the game. His only other memorable moment was a negative one, as Bengals cornerback
DJ Turner II ripped the ball from his hands for an interception in the second quarter. Fortunately, Metcalf should be able to get back on track in a favorable Week 8 home matchup against the Green Bay Packers. With quarterback
Aaron Rodgers likely motivated to perform against his former team, Metcalf profiles as a low-end WR1 for fantasy purposes.
--Jorden HillSource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end
Elijah Arroyo recorded four catches for 42 yards on five targets in his team's Week 7 win over the Houston Texans. That marked just the second time Arroyo has eclipsed 40 receiving yards in a game this season. Overall, he's recorded 11 catches for 140 yards on 17 targets across the first seven games of his NFL career. Arroyo appears to be firmly behind
AJ Barner on the Seahawks' tight end depth chart, as his snap counts have been closer to Seattle TE3
Eric Saubert's than Barner's. As long as that continues, Arroyo is unlikely to be a consistently fantasy-relevant player.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
San Francisco 49ers running back
Isaac Guerendo was thrust into action in his rookie season in the NFL in 2024 because
Christian McCaffrey missed most of the year due to injuries. Guerendo finished with 84 rushing attempts for 420 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (three starts) and also chipped in 15 catches on 16 targets as a pass-catcher for 152 yards. Fantasy managers probably viewed him as a pretty valuable handcuff for the injury-prone CMC going into 2025 drafts, but the Niners' acquisition of
Brian Robinson Jr. before the season pretty much killed whatever fantasy appeal he had. Through the first seven weeks of his sophomore campaign, the 25-year-old former fourth-rounder has yet to play an offensive snap with CMC and B-Rob both staying healthy. Instead, Guerendo has been limited to a special teams role, returning five kickoffs for a combined 100 yards.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver
Dont'e Thornton Jr. has largely been phased out of the team's offense in recent weeks. Thornton Jr. has recorded five catches for 94 yards on 19 targets across seven games this season. However, he has been held without a reception in each of his last four games played. For the time being, Thornton Jr. appears to be firmly behind
Jakobi Meyers,
Tre Tucker, and
Jack Bech on the wide receiver depth chart in Las Vegas. That could change in the coming weeks, as Meyers has reportedly been seeking a trade away from the 2-5 Raiders. With Meyers (knee, toe) inactive in Week 7 due to injury, Thornton Jr. played a season-high 86% of the team's offensive snaps. Even if Meyers is traded, Thornton Jr. will be tough for fantasy managers to trust given his lack of production so far. Still, he's a name to monitor in deeper leagues if the Raiders deal Meyers at some point before the NFL trade deadline.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
October 21, 2025
The Las Vegas Raiders met with star defensive end Maxx Crosby on Tuesday to let him know they are not shopping him and won't trade him, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Other teams are interested in the All-Pro pass-rusher -- it was reported on Tuesday morning that the Dallas Cowboys are eyeing him -- but the Raiders aren't interested in moving him, and Crosby wants to stay in Las Vegas despite the team's disappointing 2-5 start. The 28-year-old defensive end left the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs early with a knee injury and didn't return in the 31-0 blowout, but his injury is reportedly not serious, which means he should have a good chance to return after this week's bye for a Week 9 meeting with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although Crosby has only four sacks through seven games this year, he'll be a must-start in IDP fantasy formats if he's active coming out of the Raiders' bye.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
October 21, 2025
The Las Vegas Raiders were missing both tight end
Brock Bowers (knee) and wide receiver
Jakobi Meyers (knee, toe) in the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but rookie wideout
Jack Bech still managed only two catches for 13 yards on two targets. The struggling Raiders offense wasn't able to do much of anything with the Chiefs' defense pinning their ears back after taking an early big lead. Quarterback
Geno Smith was only able to complete 10 passes on the day. The 22-year-old Bech and fellow rookie
Dont'e Thornton Jr. have both struggled to produce for the 2-5 Raiders, but it hasn't entirely been their fault. Bech now has only seven catches on 10 targets for 73 yards and no touchdowns in his first seven NFL games, and his chances of making an impact are only going to decrease with both Bowers and Meyers expected to return in Week 9 following the team's bye.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Khalil Shakir broke out in his third year in the league in 2024 with career-highs across the board in catches (76), targets (100), and receiving yards (821), but it came with only four touchdowns in 15 regular-season games (nine starts). Going into Buffalo's Week 7 bye, Shakir had 25 receptions on 34 targets for 268 yards and two touchdowns in six games. He scored in back-to-back games in Weeks 3 and 4, but he has not exceeded 70 receiving yards in a contest this year, while the Bills continue to spread the ball around in the passing attack. In half-PPR scoring, Shakir is just inside the top 50 wideouts with 8.6 points per game. Although the 25-year-old is one of the top wideouts in the Bills' offense, he's not a great fit in an offense that relies on power more than anything, and he's rarely targeted in the red zone. Fantasy managers might want to expect another quiet game this Sunday against a Carolina Panthers defense that has been much-improved in 2025 against the pass.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
October 21, 2025
Since Buffalo Bills second-year wide receiver
Keon Coleman had an eight-catch, 112-yard, one-touchdown performance in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, he has 16 catches for 125 yards and one touchdown on 24 targets in five games. He was benched at the start of the Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots for disciplinary reasons and has seven grabs for only 34 yards and a touchdown in the last two games. During the bye last week, Coleman tweeted "Say Less" with a handshake emoji, but deleted it almost immediately. It's unclear what exactly the 22-year-old meant by it, but fantasy managers are just wondering if he'll be able to turn it around in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers. Coleman hasn't shown much chemistry with quarterback
Josh Allen, and it wasn't a good sign that he couldn't make an impact in Week 6 with tight end
Dalton Kincaid and receiver
Curtis Samuel out due to injuries. Maybe the Bills will force the issue with Coleman coming out of their bye, but it's hard to recommend him as a flex play against a Carolina defense that has been stingy against opposing receivers in terms of fantasy points this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: SI.com - Richie Whitt
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