October 17, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren rushed for 127 yards on 16 carries during Thursday's Week 7 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 31 receiving yards. Although Warren wasn't able to find the end zone on Thursday night, he still had a terrific performance with 7.94 yards per carry and a significant impact in the passing game. His efficiency likely peaked thanks to his matchup against a Bengals defensive line sans Trey Hendrickson (hip), but he still has a favorable fantasy outlook heading into Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He continues to rank as a steady RB2 option in fantasy football.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
October 17, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins caught six of his 10 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's Week 7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 26-year-old is enjoying some newfound success after struggling to form a rapport with
Jake Browning earlier in the year. He has looked much better in two games with
Joe Flacco as his quarterback, totaling 11 catches, 158 yards, and one touchdown during that span. Flacco appears poised to remain the Bengals' quarterback for the duration of
Joe Burrow's (toe) absence, which is great news for Higgins,
Ja'Marr Chase, and their fantasy managers. Higgins will continue to operate behind Chase in the pecking order, but he still has standalone value as a low-end WR2 for Week 8 against the Jets.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
October 17, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers completed 23 of his 34 pass attempts for 249 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions during Thursday's Week 7 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. He also rushed for six yards and didn't take a sack. The four touchdowns worked wonders as Rodgers attempted to mount a late comeback on national television, but you could also argue that his two interceptions were the difference between a win and a loss in Cincinnati. One of the two turnovers wasn't exactly Rodgers' fault as his sideline pass was ripped out of
DK Metcalf's hands, but the other came on an overthrown pass that the veteran quarterback would have loved to get back. With that being said, fantasy managers won't gripe too much about the two turnovers, as his four touchdowns were more than enough to boost his point total. He's a solid mid-range QB2 heading into Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
October 17, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
Joe Flacco completed 31 of his 47 pass attempts for 342 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Thursday's Week 7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also took two sacks. Just nine days removed from his trade to Cincinnati and three weeks removed from his benching in Cleveland, the veteran quarterback showed flashbacks to the peak of his career back in the 2010s. This was Flacco's first performance with three passing touchdowns and zero turnovers since Week 1 of the 2018 season. Perhaps most impressive -- beyond the fact that Flacco dug Cincinnati out of a multiple-possession deficit -- was the veteran quarterback posting such a good performance despite a matchup against a talented Pittsburgh Steelers defense. He didn't let T.J. Watt fluster him, nor did he have much trouble keeping the ball away from a solid secondary. Flacco has shown upside in years past, but he seems to have unlocked a whole new ceiling with
Ja'Marr Chase and
Tee Higgins at his disposal. He'll vault into the high-end QB2 range for Week 8 against the New York Jets.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
October 17, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Pat Freiermuth caught four of his five targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns during Thursday's Week 7 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. His touchdowns came on 19-yard and 68-yard receptions, the latter of which gave Pittsburgh a late lead (that they would ultimately relinquish). Freiermuth had not yet posted a fantasy performance with more than 6.1 fantasy points this season (PPR), so Thursday's breakout was admittedly unexpected. It should give fantasy managers optimism moving forward, but there's no denying that the 26-year-old continues to face competition at the tight end position. Fellow tight ends
Jonnu Smith and
Darnell Washington each scored touchdowns on Thursday night, too, offering
Aaron Rodgers plenty of options when he's looking to target big, physical receivers in the passing game. As a result, managers should view Freiermuth as a low-end TE2 for Week 8.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
October 17, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase caught 16 of his 23 targets for 161 yards and one touchdown during Thursday's Week 7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The superstar receiver posted career-highs in targets and receptions as the Bengals mounted a comeback victory on national television. After facing some growing pains with
Jake Browning under center, Chase has returned to elite form while catching passes from
Joe Flacco. In his two games with the veteran quarterback, he has totaled 26 catches, 255 yards, and a pair of touchdowns. Flacco has shown that he is capable of airing out the football, keeping the Bengals in close games, and limiting turnovers. All three of these factors bode well for Chase going forward, as he's firmly back in the high-end WR1 mix ahead of Week 8 against the Jets.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
October 16, 2025
While it's unlike the Cincinnati Bengals to hold a fire sale, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson (hip) is likely to be a trade chip as this year's deadline approaches. Hendrickson suffered a hip injury in the Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers and was inactive for Thursday night's divisional clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it's not a long-term injury after his MRI exam came back clean. Rapoport was told that the Bengals would be seeking a young player who could help them this year and into the future, and a future mid-round pick, although it's unclear if the team is actually willing to trade Hendrickson. The veteran pass-rusher is coming off back-to-back seasons of 17.5 sacks, so he would immediately be a huge boost to any pass rush if he were dealt midseason, similar to Micah Parsons' impact in Green Bay.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
October 16, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
Joe Burrow (toe), who suffered a serious turf-toe injury back in Week 2, is on track to return from Injured Reserve in mid-December, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Burrow is a month into a three-month recovery after having surgery for a Grade 3 turf-toe injury. Burrow has been doing well in his rehab and has not had any setbacks, which means he's still in play to return at the tail end of the regular season if the Bengals still have something to play for. He has told people he has every intention of playing again this year, but he just needs Cincinnati to stay in the hunt in the meantime. The 28-year-old isn't guaranteed to be in play for the fantasy playoffs, so managers shouldn't feel obligated to hold onto him in redraft leagues.
Jake Browning struggled with turnovers (eight picks in four games) after replacing Burrow, leading Cincy to trade for veteran
Joe Flacco to try and keep the team's playoff hopes alive.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
October 16, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring), who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, is expected to return when the Ravens come off their bye in Week 7 to face the Chicago Bears in Week 8, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Jackson will have three weeks of rest, so he should be a full-go when the team comes off their bye to face Chicago. The 28-year-old two-time MVP has gone 1-3 in his four starts in 2025, but he does lead the league with a 10.5 touchdown percentage, a 10.78 adjusted yards gained per pass attempt, and a 130.5 QB rating. While this may end up being a lost season for the Ravens, Jackson still has the ability to carry fantasy football teams once he's back from his hamstring injury. The elite dual-threat signal-caller needs to be back in all starting fantasy lineups if he's active in Week 8, which is expected.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
October 16, 2025
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that there is "real concern" that Washington Commanders wide receiver
Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) will be forced to miss a fourth straight game with a quad injury that he suffered back in Week 3. McLaurin returned to a limited practice on Wednesday, but he was downgraded to a DNP on Thursday, putting his status in doubt for Sunday's divisional game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. It's unclear if the Commanders gave the 30-year-old a maintenance day on Thursday, but typically, mid-week downgrades aren't a good sign. Meanwhile,
Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) has yet to practice this week and might be in danger of missing Sunday's game as well.
Noah Brown (groin, knee) was put on Injured Reserve this week, so the Commanders signed former Titans first-rounder
Treylon Burks to their practice squad. It's possible that
Luke McCaffrey, rookie
Jaylin Lane, and
Chris Moore could start in three-wide sets against Dallas if both McLaurin and Samuel cannot play.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
October 16, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (illness) was limited in practice again on Thursday as he works toward being cleared for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Jacobs has handled a heavy workload this season, logging 98 carries for 359 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 3.7 yards per attempt. Although his efficiency has dipped compared to his Pro Bowl 2024 campaign, Jacobs remains the clear lead back in Green Bay's offense, handling the vast majority of touches out of the backfield. The Cardinals present a middle-of-the-pack matchup, allowing 102 rushing yards per game, which ranks 13th in the NFL. Assuming Jacobs suits up, he should continue to see volume-driven RB2 production, though fantasy managers may want to temper expectations if his illness limits his workload heading into Sunday.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Matt Schneidman
October 16, 2025
New York Giants wide receiver
Darius Slayton (hamstring) missed his second consecutive practice on Thursday, casting doubt on his availability for Sunday's matchup against the Denver Broncos. With
Malik Nabers (knee) already out for the season, Slayton's absence would further deplete the Giants' receiving corps. In that scenario, Wan'Dale Robinson would be positioned to handle a heavy target load, while
Jalin Hyatt could see a significant uptick in snaps and opportunities. Hyatt caught three of five targets for 17 yards in Week 6 and would remain a risky deep-league dart throw if pressed into action. The Giants offense has shown signs of life recently, but fantasy managers should view Robinson as the only trustworthy option in this passing game heading into Week 7.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Dan Salomone
October 16, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Jauan Jennings (ankle, rib, shoulder) has been limited in practice all week but is trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. The veteran wideout has battled multiple injuries this season, appearing in just four games while totaling 10 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown. With the 49ers offense still dealing with several key absences, quarterback
Mac Jones will need all available weapons against the league's top-ranked pass defense -- one that just stifled
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Jennings' potential return would provide a much-needed boost to San Francisco's depth at receiver, though his fantasy value remains limited unless he begins to see a larger target share. For now, Jennings is best viewed as a deep-league stash or DFS dart throw in Week 7.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Cam Inman
October 16, 2025
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy (toe) remained a limited participant in Thursday's practice as he works his way back from the turf toe injury he suffered in Week 1. The 49ers have managed a 4-2 record in his absence, with veteran backup
Mac Jones (knee, oblique) handling starting duties. While Purdy is unlikely to return in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, his continued presence at practice is a positive sign for his recovery timeline. The 49ers are expected to remain cautious with their young signal-caller, but the door appears open for a potential return in the coming weeks. Fantasy managers in superflex and two-quarterback formats should keep Purdy stashed, as his upside in a talented San Francisco offense makes him a valuable asset once he's back to full strength.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Cam Inman
October 16, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Chris Olave (hip) was upgraded to a full participant in Thursday's practice after being limited the day before, putting him on track to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears. The third-year wideout has maintained WR1 status in New Orleans with a commanding 32.3% target share, turning 39 receptions into 342 yards and a touchdown through six games. While quarterback
Spencer Rattler has struggled with consistency, Olave continues to command double-digit targets nearly every week. His 60.9% catch rate highlights some inefficiency in the Saints' passing attack, but the sheer volume keeps Olave firmly in must-start territory for fantasy managers. Against a Bears defense allowing over 213 passing yards per game, Olave should remain the focal point of the Saints' offense and carries a solid WR2 floor with WR1 upside if the offense finds rhythm.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Luke Johnson
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