Field Yates is thrilled to see Jerry Jeudy return from his ankle injury. This is because of the great Week 1 performance. (0:59).
Will Jerry Jeudy ever be able pick up where he left off in his new job? (0:59).
A team's relative health is a key factor in many successful NFL seasons and fantasy football seasons.
It's hard for fantasy managers as well as real teams to take the news of Christian McCaffrey's death. There isn't anything you can do. There are some teams that have more backups than others. Some fantasy managers will even handcuff the starters with the No. It makes sense to have 2 players on the same team, as it is with Alexander Mattison and Dalvin Cook.
When a quarterback is involved, injuries can also produce tentacles. Without Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks are like spaghetti without sauce. It's not actually spaghetti, then. It's just noodles. Kind of like the Seattle offense.
DK Metcalf's drop off hasn’t been as dramatic as Tyler Lockett's. Metcalf has at most found the end zone twice, with Geno Smith throwing to it. Since Wilson's thumb injury, Lockett has struggled to find the ball.
Lockett managers will be depressed by this nugget: 46 receivers have accumulated 10+ targets in the past two weeks. Lockett is 45th in the number of targets per week.
Soppe, an ESPN fantasy sports researcher, has been wondering if there are any trustworthy people in Seattle for fantasy managers. He also wants to know about the receivers in New England and Tampa Bay. Our reporters have the answers.
The Ravens and Raiders are on byes for this week, so they're not included in the following. We are off.
AFC EAST
Who will be the biggest beneficiary of Dawson Knox's banged-up targets?
From a fantasy perspective, there are many players who will be able to score more targets if Knox isn't available due to a hand injury. The Bills have limited depth at the tight end, so while Tommy Sweeney may get some opportunities, Knox will not be receiving all the targets. This is due to his limited experience as a receiver. Fantasy owners could have more opportunities with Gabriel Davis or Isaiah McKenzie, which makes it a tricky situation. -- Alaina Getzenberg
Who is Tua’s top target for the rest of the journey: Jaylen Waddle or Mike Gesicki?
Jaylen Waddle is undoubtedly Miami's most reliable wide receiver, but Mike Gesicki can be a nightmare to match up against. In the two games since Tua tagovailoa's return, he has recieved 15 of 17 targets for 201 yards and one touchdown. This is almost the same production as his five previous Dolphins games. This trend is expected to continue, as Miami's passing game becomes more important to remain competitive. Marcel Louis-Jacques
Do we have a reliable pass-catcher that can provide consistent volume?
Jakobi Meyers (team record 41 catches) is still the best option, but the absence of touchdowns is clearly concerning. However, it is not due to a lack in effort. Meyers was hit on third down at the goal line last Wednesday and was penalized with a defensive pass interference penalty. Hunter Henry received a TD pass the following play. -- Mike Reiss
Are you expecting Michael Carter to be featured back for the remainder of the season and receive upwards of 20 touches every day?
As long as Mike White is the quarterback, yes. White isn't afraid to throw checks down to running backs, unlike Zach Wilson, White's starting quarterback. Carter caught eight passes and ran 11 rushing yards last week. The Jets do not believe in a featured back. However, Carter's touches will increase due to White's tendencies. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
What happened to Tyler Boyd's role?
Boyd is being squeezed by the Bengals' offensive transformation led to rookie Ja'Marr Chas. Chase is quickly becoming the team's preferred target in many situations. Boyd was not able to do this the past two seasons. With Chase's rookie record-breaking season, Boyd's target share is no longer reliable. Boyd is not a likely starter for fantasy managers. -- Ben Baby
If Nick Chubb is back, how will you see Cleveland dividing up the RB touches this weekend.
To keep Chubb fresh and able to win games in the fourth quarter, the Browns try not to overwork him. With Chubb back from his calf injury, that will be the case. D'Ernest Johnson, Thursday Night Football's hero, could get a few carries. Perhaps more. Demetric Felton will get five touches. However, most of his touches should be in the passing game. Jake Trotter
Play 3:10 Berry likes D’Ernest Johnson, even though Nick Chubb is still active Matthew Berry believes that D'Ernest Johnson should still produce to the Browns vs. Steelers.
Are you positive Chase Claypool will be able to keep up with JuJu SmithSchuster's consistency on the shelf?
This is the hope. However, Claypool's performance against Seattle -- his first game without Smith Schuster -- was not so good. Claypool was targeted seven times, but only two catches for 17 yard were made. Claypool also had more penalty yards than receiving yard, drawing flags for illegal block and offensive interference. Claypool and his coaches are focusing on creating more splash plays. The biggest obstacle to that is finishing plays more consistently, which wide receivers coach Ike Hilty said he addressed with his second year receiver. Claypool proved he is capable of delivering on his promises last year but will need to do so more in Year 2. -- Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
What do you think Brandin Cooks' target quantity and quality will be when Tyrod Taylor returns to the country?
Coach David Culley stated Wednesday that Cooks' usage is less due to the quarterback than it was to the Texans keeping above the chains and being able to manage third down situations so that they can make use of the receivers' skill set. The offense's struggles with Davis Mills at center, and the fact that he will be starting again this week, suggests Cooks may have more opportunities. Cooks will have longer drives to the Texans, which will increase the quality of the target. -- Sarah Barshop
Jonathan Taylor seems to be firing on all cylinders. Will the team give him more time on the ground?
Taylor is the star on the ground. Frank Reich, Coach, recently stated that Taylor, the undisputed best running back in the NFL, is entitled to at least 20 carries per game. Taylor is yet to hit that mark, with Taylor's high of 18 in Week 7 against San Francisco his highest this season. Mike Wells
Play 1:11 Matthew Berry's dilemma between Jonathan Taylor and Najee Hariri Matthew Berry refers to it as a 'coin flip,' when asked which of the two RBs Najee Hariri and Jonathan Taylor he would choose.
Jamal Agnew has made 11 catch in his two previous games. Worthy of having a roster stash now, that the bye week has passed?
Yes. Urban Meyer and Darrell Bevell, the offensive coordinator, said that they would like to give Agnew more work. The Jaguars are looking for a replacement to Travis Etienne or DJ Chark. Agnew is part of a group that also includes Tyron Johnson and Tavon Austin. -- Michael DiRocco
Is it time for us to stop believing that Julio Jones can perform in this offense, and instead lock him up on fantasy benches until proven otherwise.
Yes. Yes. Jones continues to recover from a hamstring injury which has caused him to be pulled in some games. He will not play Sunday against the Colts. Even though he has had a 100-yard receiving season, it's unlikely that he will be a consistent contributor at this point. A.J. It is clear that A.J. Brown is the first to read on many plays. He has been targeted 18x over the past two games, compared with nine times for Jones. Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
What is Denver's target hierarchy moving forward, the top three? Jerry Jeudy should be back.
Jeudy looked normal in practice and looks ready to play. He is playing his first game since he hurt his ankle in the season opener. However, there aren't likely any chemistry issues and the Broncos will try to get him involved early. The target order at wide receiver is likely to return to the same as it was before Jeudy's injury -- Jeudy and Courtland Sutton overall, with Tim Patrick taking a shift if Jeudy needs safety help. Jeff Legwold
play 1:31 Why 3 Broncos WRs are good fantasy plays in Week 8. Mike Clay breaks down the expectations from Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton against Washington.
Anything to Byron Pringle, the leader of this team's receiving in Week 7.
It would be surprising if this happens again. Last week, Patrick Mahomes and his passing game were at their worst. Pringle could be WR1 if you believe that the Chiefs and Mahomes have caught on to the rest of the league. Most likely, Travis Kelce or Tyreek Hill will have a huge game against the Giants on Monday night. -- Adam Teicher
Is Keenan Allen's output likely to improve after his departure? Or should we continue to be concerned about his low-upside performance from the previous month?
Brandon Staley, Chargers coach, stated that one of their goals for the bye week was to improve efficiency on first and second downs as well as avoid third-and-long situations that were so common in the first six weeks. Allen, the league's top route-runner, is the best way to accomplish that. Allen has been a reliable target and will be more involved after the bye. He has received more than 100 receptions in three of his four seasons, while he had 97 the last season. -- Staff
NFC EAST
Amari Cooper scored eight targets in Week 6, after scoring averaging 4.5 over the previous four weeks. Can we count on his volume moving forward?
Every aspect of the Cowboys' offense changes from week to week. They will take advantage of a favorable matchup if they can, but they won't say Cooper or anyone else that they need this many targets before they go to a game. Dak Prescott will have more options with the ball now that Michael Gallup is back from calf strain. Prescott has proven since his rookie season that he is willing to throw the ball to any open man, not just one. This is a helpful tip: Cooper was targeted seven time in the meeting vs. Minnesota last year and had six receptions for 81 yards by Andy Dalton. -- Todd Archer
play 1:47 What makes Amari Cooper worth starting fantasy? Matthew Berry and Field Yates explain why Amari Cooper doesn't rank as the No. Dallas's No. 1 fantasy option.
This team's Week 7 leader in receiving yards (63) and targets (99) was Darius Slayton. Is it possible to say that there were no injuries among the receivers?
It's still something, even if the Giants lose their top four options. The ball must go somewhere. Over the past three seasons, Slayton has shown that he and Daniel Jones have a solid chemistry. Slayton can be a solid option if most or all the Giants' top players are not available. Slayton is a solid option for the next two weeks, regardless of whether New York has its bye week. -- Jordan Raanan
Dallas Goedert's usage did not change much in the first week after Zach Ertz's trade. Should we expect 4-6 targets or should there be a possibility of a rise in his role?
I expect a spike. He was active in 93% of the snaps against Raiders, his highest rate this season. He also finished with a season high 70 yards on three catches. Jalen Hurts' efficiency when targeting Goedert is evident, and I expect him will continue to do so over the remaining 10 games. Tim McManus
Play 0:43 Yates likes Dallas Goedert’s potential in Eagles offense Field Yates believes that Eagles TE Dallas Goedert has more productive days ahead as he becomes more involved in the offense.
Terry McLaurin's season was all or nothing. Will consistency improve or can this offense still produce inconsistent results?
It is a function both of the surrounding environment and how the quarterback plays at times. He has a total of 352 receiving yards and four touchdowns in three games, surpassing 100 each time. In the four other games, he has a total of 198 yards and no touchdowns. There's nothing to stop a defense from paying more attention to Logan Thomas and Curtis Samuel. Thomas (hamstring), should be back soon, but it's not clear if Samuel (groin), will return. It doesn't help that Taylor Heinicke, quarterback, has a weak arm. This means that throws that could have been contested catches are instead knocked down. McLaurin's targets are high, he averages one more per game in 2020, but his success rate is 8% less because of these factors. John Keim
NFC NORTH
This backfield is by committee when David Montgomery returns, given the success of Khalil H.
Doubtful. Montgomery will get the majority of the carries after he returns. However, the Bears are confident that Herbert is available as a backup. Montgomery will be Chicago's main back when he is healthy, although the rookie will play some. Jeff Dickerson
Play 1:40 What amount of usage will Khalil Herbert get in Week 8? Field Yates anticipates that Khalil Herbert will see the ball quite a lot in Week 8.
Kalif Raymond has at most six targets in his five previous games. With bye weeks in full swing and the volume of recent looks, is he able to throw decent weekly darts?
Yes. He and rookie WR Amon Ra St. Brown are both my opinion. This is largely due to the fact that they're readily available, so Jared Goff can find them whenever they're open. Raymond is showing that he's a reliable target. The Lions have suffered from injuries to wideouts Quintez Cerphus (collarbone), and Tyrell Williams(concussion), but Raymond has capitalized on that -- especially the game against the Los Angeles Rams, where he tallied 100+ receiving yards for the second consecutive time in his career. Eric Woodyard
Is it better to view AJ Dillon/Aaron Jones in an even backfield for touch count going forward or was TNF a one off game?
It's curious that Dillon was not used by the Packers in the goal-to go situation at the end, when the Cardinals set up the line of scrimmage. This would have been a perfect spot for a power-runner. Dillon is now the NFL's leading rusher in yards per contact (2.47% YAC). Dillon's role has grown enough to be considered almost as equal to Jones. Rob Demovsky
K.J. had three games with more than 75 receiving yards, and three games with less than 30. Osborn: Which version of Osborn is closest to the rest?
Osborn is a WR3, so it's normal to expect Osborn to fluctuate between his production at Arizona (5 catches and 91 yards, TD), and Carolina (6 catches and 78 yards, TD), and to disappear in games. Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, the Vikings' top receivers, will be most likely to see Kirk Cousins. Osborn's performance against the Panthers, with a crucial catch on third down, and earning Cousins trust to bring in the game-winning TD, shows that the quarterback is not afraid to rely on his third receiver threat. Courtney Cronin
NFC SOUTH
After Cordarrelle Patterson won the Week 7 carry count (14-4), is it safe to cut ties?
Nope. Davis still plays a significant role in the offense. He has played 60% of the snaps each week. He will still play a significant role in the offense and there will be games when he is the lead back and most effective. Will he be the featured back as many had hoped? Davis's career before Atlanta was a testament to this. He's still worth keeping on your roster, especially after bye weeks. He could even have a better game Sunday, considering that the Panthers allow 110.3 yards of rushing per game and Davis is playing against his former team. -- Michael Rothstein
The offense seems to be trending downward: Can DJ Moore keep producing strong numbers?
It will be a help when the Panthers receive Christian McCaffrey's return, likely in a week. Moore won't get doubled up by teams. It will also help if Sam Darnold slows his footwork to get back the rhythm he lost in the first three games. Moore has been unable to be as productive recently because of this. -- David Newton
Alvin Kamara's career-low in yards-per-carry: Do you believe we will see an increase in efficiency to go along with the rise in ground volume?
With Mark Ingram II back as his running mate, we might see a return of fewer carries and greater yards per carry. And maybe even more participation in the passing game. His YPC is down because he has taken almost every carry for the team, even in unfavorable running situations and short-yardage. He still looks great and is a vital member of the team. Therefore, I expect him to keep delivering fantasy production in some form or other. Mike Triplett
Play 1:52 What does Mark Ingram’s return mean to Alvin Kamara Mike Clay explores the fantasy implications of Mark Ingram's trade with the Texans that saw him return to the Saints.
There is no wrong answer. Rank the receivers all the way.
It all depends on the week and how teams plan to attack the Bucs. However, Antonio Brown has been out of practice due to a foot/ankle injury and will not play against the Saints on Sunday. Instead, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Brown will be the Bucs' fourth receivers with Tyler Johnson. If a team like New Orleans Saints shadows Evans and Marshon Lattimore, then you can look to Godwin or one the tight ends. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
What do you think of Kyler Murray’s recent sub-par rushing numbers Do you want to play design or blip on the radar to keep Kyler Murray healthy?
He uses both play design and his own decisions to keep him healthy. Arizona's running game is as strong as ever. Murray made it clear that he wants the Cardinals not to view his legs as a necessity but as a luxury. He'll be less active and more of a passer. He'll still use his legs when he has to, such as late Thursday night. -- Josh Weinfuss
Van Jefferson could be a threat to Robert Woods as fantasy WR2 in this offensive.
No. No. Woods has had a difficult season this year when it comes to how often he is targeted. But don't be surprised if the second-year Jefferson is being looked at more often. -- Lindsey Thiry
Last week, 75% of Elijah Mitchell's touches were for RB. Is that enough to expect 100 yards per week?
If you coach a Shanahan's running backs, it would be foolish to think that everything is "locked in". With that caveat, it is safe to say that Mitchell was the best running back for the team when he was healthy. Mitchell appears to be able to move forward with his offensive growth and to keep being the back who gets to the ball first every game, despite the right shoulder injury. -- Nick Wagoner
Is there any reason to believe that this offense has a single piece we can trust until Russell Wilson returns from retirement?
No. No. It's also difficult to trust their running backs given how much work they have been doing. Alex Collins is expected to continue to be the primary option and should be able find yards against a Jaguars running defense that isn't quite as strong as the Saints. Collins is a good play, but Travis Homer and Rashaad Penny might make it less likely. -- Brady Henderson
