Seriously, what the hell is happening in football? I recall injuries from past seasons, but do not remember a time when there were this many significant injuries every week. Week 6 was a strange, low-scoring fantasy week which leads me to believe Week 7 will prove to be a scoring frenzy.
If you are just tuning in, please know Christian McCaffrey (oblique), Justin Fields (dislocated thumb), Trevor Lawrence (knee), Deebo Samuel (shoulder), David Montgomery (ribs), Kyren Williams (ankle sprain), Jimmy Garoppolo (back), Josh Allen (shoulder, possible concussion check), and Ryan Tannehill (ankle) all departed with injuries. Some of the above names are meh until we remember we might need to stream during the bye weeks.
Add to those injuries the news of Anthony Richardson contemplating season-ending surgery, Khalil Herbert being placed on the IR, and the dreaded Monday MRI on Justin Jefferson’s hamstring, and we have the makings of a very interesting road ahead for fantasy owners. As stated in previous articles, you need to be looking at least one week ahead to ensure you have coverage for bye weeks and that you at least consider RB handcuffs.
As I wrote in the title, I am not afraid of the bye weeks because we come to this forum each week and we prepare. We insulate ourselves from the issues presented by the bye weeks. We are ready while others scramble late in the week after realizing they have holes to fill. What is concerning more and more each week are the injuries piling up. Stay focused. Stay prepared. Use that IR slot if available to your advantage.
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Week 7 byes: CAR, CIN, DAL, HOU, NYJ, TEN
Remember to check in with the @Razzball NFL team of writers as we host our Sunday Morning Start/Sit podcast every week, starting two hours before kickoff all the way up to the official start of the early games. With games in London, we try to start our show around half-time of the London morning game. @BobbyLaMarco, @SkyGuasco, The Lineup Builder @Derek_Favret, and me, Mitch Staniger @stiles08, will be answering all your questions to help you win your weekly matchups. Come for the analysis, and stay for the laughs!
ADD OF THE WEEK: Jordan Mason, RB, SF: I mentioned Mason (6% rostered) last week as a deep add consideration, and he just became my add of the week with the CMC oblique injury. Mason is a must-add in all formats and will be a Top-15 RB if CMC misses any time. Elijah Mitchell netted -3 yards on Sunday while Mason acted as the replacement for the fantasy RB1. Drop half (or more) of your FAAB to acquire Mason’s services while also keeping a close eye on the CMC situation. Information is power here, and we do not want to spend too much of our remaining FAAB if CMC is cleared prior to waivers running.
WAIVERS:
QB: We welcome back from the Week 6 bye both Jordan Love and Kenny Pickett, but who really cares, right? If you are streaming Love, I wish you the best of luck, and I am a Packers fan. I need more consistency from Love before I sign off on the kid. If you are streaming Pickett, it is time to switch hobbies. Of the Week 7 streaming options, I am still on the Matthew Stafford train, but the Sam Howell bus is starting to gain ground. Stafford (72% rostered) has a bevy of pass-catching options and will probably have to throw 40+ times, with Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers both wearing the doubtful tag to start the week. Howell (38% rostered) has scored 20+ fantasy points in six of seven games and in three straight games (6-point pass TD). The Howell matchup in Week 7 is the Giants, and my gut tells me there will be a significant letdown from the Giants after their Sunday Night Football effort against the Bills. If you are still leery of Howell, then lean Stafford with his juicy matchup against Pittsburgh coming off their bye.
Honorable Mention/Cheaper Options:
Baker Mayfield, TB: Baker (28% rostered) is done with his bye and a serviceable option this week. He has both Godwin and Evans healthy and is a consideration with so many QBs on bye or injured.
Desmond Ridder, ATL: What is Arthur Smith doing with Ridder (9% rostered) and the overall offense? Why is Bijan Robinson not touching the ball through a deliberate play-calling process 30 times per game? As I stated last week, I do not love Ridder, but there are slim pickings right now.
Derek Carr, NO: Somehow, Carr (25% rostered) threw for 360+ yards while still appearing to do nothing. I do not get it.
Gardner Minshew (8%) and Joshua Dobbs (15%) are also names to consider.
RB: Right behind Mason is Craig Reynolds, who has looked good while filling in for David Montgomery. Reynolds (2% rostered) runs hard and appears to be able to play all three downs. The key for Reynolds moving forward will be the health of Montgomery (ribs) and Jahmyr Gibbs (missed two straight weeks). Keep an eye on this situation because we know the Lions will run the ball regardless of who is the RB1 each week.
Honorable Mention/Cheaper Options:
The Rams backfield is a mess with the latest update of both Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers (knee) doubtful for Week 7. The next man up appears to be Zach Evans (1% rostered), with there being a possibility of Royce Freeman (0% rostered) being called up from the practice squad.
D’Onta Foreman/Roschon Johnson, CHI: Keep your eye on the Bears RB situation, especially Roschon Johnson. If Johnson (52% rostered) clears concussion protocol, I have him as the lead dog. If he does not clear by waivers time, then Foreman (56% rostered) is the best play in Chicago. I think both will play if Johnson clears, and both will have additional value if Fields is out (thumb).
Keaontay Ingram, ARI: My Week 6 article pushed Demercado, yet I corrected myself within the comments and on Twitter/X by pushing Ingram (20% rostered) later in the week. Once Ingram was named the starting RB by the Cardinals, he became the safer, smarter add. How did that translate on Sunday, you might ask? Well, Ingram was good, not great. Arizona deployed a three-headed backfield on offense which probably does not help us moving forward. I watched much of this game and came away thinking Ingram looked the best of the three, the third being Damien Williams, while noting none of the three appear to be more than injury or bye week streamer.
Latavius Murray, BUF: I do not understand Sean McDermott’s need to play Murray so much with James Cook as the obvious (just watch the games) alpha RB for the Bills. I do not play favorites as a man of the people, so Murray (14% rostered) has earned a spot here. He is nothing more than a deep reach, so temper all expectations, as I truly believe Cook has to get more run if Buffalo wants to win this division.
WR: Rashee Rice, KC: Remember the video game called NBA Jam? If you do, then you certainly remember when the background announcer would say, “Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’s heating up!” That is exactly how I see Rashee Rice (45% rostered), and believe he is a must-add now. Get him while you can, because it will not be long before he has that blow-up game going for 100+ yards and 2 TD. He runs great routes. He has exceptional hands. His run-after-the-catch ability is top of the chart. He has, in my humble opinion, separated himself from the other WR options in Kansas City. The issue now is play calling, and I beg Andy Reid to get this kid more involved. When that happens, I can see the Chiefs dropping forty burgers again.
Honorable Mention/Cheaper Options:
Rondale Moore, ARI: The Cardinals clearly want to get Moore (9% rostered) more involved as they are handing him some rush attempts and throwing him the ball a little more of late. Keep an eye on the shifty-fast Moore as he may have additional value as the season moves on.
Brandin Cooks/Michael Gallup, DAL: The Cowboys need to figure it out, and that starts with getting away from the plodding, boring Mike McCarthy offense by opening it up and throwing the ball. I do not love the QB, but let’s see what happens when Dallas stops force-feeding the TE position and gets the ball to the veteran WRs in Cooks (43% rostered) and Gallup (22% rostered). Both may be available after waivers since they are off Week 7.
Robert Woods, HOU: Old man Bobby Trees checked in with a TD Sunday while only seeing one target (1-6-1). An almost embarrassing line, but maybe this is the start of something? If Tank Dell is back, forget you read this and move on to the next name, even as Woods (17% rostered) begs for your attention.
TE: I missed on Logan Thomas (59% rostered) and Cole Kmet (81% rostered) in Week 6, but think they continue to be factors for their offense. I hit on Dalton Schultz and still like him moving forward, especially if Tank Dell misses additional time. Schultz is on bye this week, so you may be able to wait until after waivers to get him for free. The other name to look into is Taysom Hill, who ran 33 routes in Week 6. Me? I am staying away because Hill (7% rostered )has burned me too many times. The juicy Jags matchup is something you (not me) should consider.
Follow me @stiles08 on Twitter/X and send questions and comments at the bottom of this article. Make sure you jump around the Razzball site for all your fantasy football needs.
-Mitch-
