Top Tier
Kyler Murray, ARI - There is little doubt in my mind that the Cardinals are going to run through this Texans team but as always in these scenarios the worry is that the team jumps out to such a big lead that Murray ends up getting his ceiling capped. Last week against Cleveland we saw him throw for 229 yards and four touchdowns to finish with 25.76 fantasy points. As the top priced quarterback on the slate, that production is certainly acceptable but in a more competitive environment his ceiling would have been greater. I am expecting Murray and DeAndre Hopkins to connect on at least one touchdown this week given Hopkins disdain for the organization. Murray is a high floor play this week.
Tom Brady, TB - Week 6 wasn't Brady's best performance even though it was still solid as he completed 81-percent of his passes for 297 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. In Week 7 the Buccaneers return home where Brady has been outrageously good this season, having thrown 14 of his 17 touchdown passes this season over just three games….Yes, he has 14 passing touchdowns in three home games, nearly five passing touchdowns per game….The Bears defense is not at all what it use to be and whether or not their offense can keep up really does not matter as Brady just slings it.
Patrick Mahomes, KC - Even when Mahomes is having a “bad” game he still throws for almost 400 yards and two touchdowns to give those who rostered him the high score of the week at the position. In Week 7 the Chiefs go on the road to face a Titans pass defense that ranks among the leagues worst. The Chiefs defense isn't much better and we just saw the Titans beat the Bills last week in a high scoring contest. This one figures to be a shootout and one where playing Patrick Mahomes is of course going to be a good idea.
Mid Tier
Matthew Stafford, LAR - The Rams were actually too good last week because Stafford was taken out of the game with Los Angeles taking a big lead over the Giants. Fortunately, Stafford managed to throw four touchdowns before being removed but this could very well be a similar scenario here this week as he faces off against none other than the Detroit Lions who traded Stafford to the Rams this past offseason. Hard not to think Stafford has a little revenge on his mind. Another multiple touchdown game seems like a lock but will he put up enough points before potentially seeing the bench or giving way to the ground game with the lead is the question.
Jalen Hurts, PHI - Hurts is a flawed NFL quarterback but for fantasy football there aren't' too many complaints as he is averaging 26.2 fantasy points per game this season. Last week against the Buccaneers he completed just 46.2-percent of his passes but had three total touchdowns thanks to his rushing ability. In fact, he has two rushing touchdowns in each of the past two weeks. The Eagles traded away one of his top targets in Zack Ertz this past week and Dallas Goedert is still out of the lineup due to Covid-19 so the Philly offense may need to rely on the legs of Hurts a bit more this week as well.
Value Tier
Tua Tagovailoa, MIA - Which version of Tua are we to trust? Is it the one we saw against New England that was inaccurate and showed some of the same flaws we saw from him last season or was it the one we just saw in London that tore apart a bad Jacksonville defense for 329 yards and two touchdowns while completing 70% of his passes? Fortunately for Tua the Dolphins come back from London to a home game where they welcome in a bad Atlanta Falcons defense. We saw Tua target Mike Gesicki and Jaylen Waddle heavily in the teams win over the Jaguars and this is something he should continue to do this week as well given the talent of the two players and this favorable matchup.
Daniel Jones, NYG - Listen, I get it, the last two week have been pretty tough for those who played Jones. He was knocked out against the Cowboys with an injury and then was fed to the Rams with limited help on the offensive side of the football. Those two performances have sent his price tag tumbling but I also think this creates an interesting bounce back spot against a reeling Carolina Panthers team that has had their defense a bit exposed of late. Yes, the Giants offense is still missing some core pieces but I think Jones will have more time and hopefully go back to using his mobility in this matchup here. If making multiple lineups, tossing Jones in one or two isn't an awful idea.
Fades
Ryan Tannehill, TEN - I understand the matchup and the expected game flow here that would make Tannehill an appealing option but the facts are simply that the Titans offense right now is the running game with Derrick Henry and running the football in this matchup is maybe the only way the Titans can win as they look to chew up the clock and keep Patrick Mahomes off the field as much as possible. We also saw Julio Jones once again get injured and we can only cross our fingers that A.J. Brown can manage to get through a game healthy as well. Just play Henry and leave Tannehill out of your lineups this week.
Player News
Commanders signed S Jeremy Reaves to a one-year contract extension.
Reaves is primarily a special teamer for the Commanders, making the 2022 Pro Bowl and being named first-team All-Pro for his skillset. He suffered a partially torn ACL in 2023 and signed a two-year deal to stay in Washington last offseason. The Commanders now reward his productive special teams performance with a one-year extension that keeps Reaves signed through 2026.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports free agent CB Shaquill Griffin is visiting the Raiders on Wednesday.
Griffin played for the Vikings last season, intercepting two passes in 17 games played. The 29-year-old previously played for the Panthers, Texans, and Jaguars, while making a Pro Bowl with the Seahawks. The Raiders are in need of depth in the secondary after losing Nate Hobbs in the offseason. Griffin has the flexibility to start if needed for Las Vegas, should the team sign him.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the Texans worked out former Patriots RB JaMycal Hasty.
Hasty just completed his second season with the Patriots after spending time with the Jaguars and 49ers earlier in his four-year career. The 28-year-old has primarily been a depth option in the backfield and special teamer. It is notable the Texans brought in another running back, having signed Nick Chubb with Joe Mixon recovering from an ankle injury. Hasty would need to battle his way through to make any roster, but the Texans working him out indicates Mixon may be further from returning than initially thought.
Raiders signed LB Germaine Pratt, formerly of the Bengals, to a one-year, $4.25 million contract.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Pratt’s deal includes another $500K in incentives. Pratt was expected to be a cap casualty for the Bengals and requested a trade. Nothing materialized and Cincy cut him earlier this week. Pratt started all 17 games for the Bengals last year. He played nearly every snap on defense and led the team with 143 combined tackles. Pratt is a safe bet to start for the Raiders this season.
Chargers OC Greg Roman said RB Omarion Hampton is “the total package.”
Roman continued to heap praise on the rookie, saying, “You don’t see a lot of guys find a hole like he’s doing right now.” Backed by No. 22 overall draft capital, fantasy managers are rightfully expecting a large workload for Hampton out of the gates. Free agent addition Najee Harris could stand in his way, but it doesn’t sound like Roman is going to simply hand the veteran the starting gig. Hampton could take on a high-end RB2 workload early in the year if he continues to impress during the offseason program.
Eagles signed No. 31 overall pick LB Jihaad Campbell to a four-year contract.
Second-round safety Andrew Mukuba is the only unsigned draft pick for Philly. Campbell is currently recovering from surgery related to the torn labrum he suffered in his final collegiate season. The versatile defender has been observing the inside linebackers in Philly’s offseason program, giving us some idea of where he will play to start his career. After trading up one spot to land Campbell in the first round, it’s safe to assume the Eagles will ramp up his workload as soon as he is healthy.