Monday NFL Roundup: Week 7

Life is a matter of perspective. On the one hand, the Chiefs did not lose their third game in 2024 until the Super Bowl. They entered Week 6 with a 2-3 record in 2025 and a 4-5 record in their last nine games. Patrick Mahomes II had trended downward statistically since 2022. Monday of Week 5 may have been the most embarrassing game yet, losing in a primetime spot to a quarterback who fell down on the game-winning score while the defensive line generated no pressure, standing and watching it happen.

The end had arrived.

What a difference a week makes.

The Chiefs were dominant against a Lions team that entered Sunday Night as hot as any in the NFL. Mahomes was masterful, with his third career three-passing and one rushing touchdown game.

Now, perspective. The Chiefs are one game behind the division-leading Chargers and Broncos, with three games remaining against them. They have weathered the most challenging stretch of their schedule, dominantly beating the Lions and Ravens. Mahomes is back at fantasy QB1 overall, on pace to exceed his touchdown pass totals of 2024 and 2023 by five, already tying a career high with four rushing touchdowns, on pace to rush for 629 yards (nearly double his career high of 389).

Six days to go from full-blown panic to complete control.

Perspective.

The Broncos were sunk at 1-2, one of the biggest disappointments. Now they sit firmly in the playoff picture after three straight wins, atop their division.

The Patriots were also 1-2. A hopeful season quickly deflated. Three games later, they are the hottest team in football, breathing down Buffalo's neck after the Bills looked like they could clinch the AFC East by Halloween.

The Steelers, Packers, and Buccaneers have weathered their share of disappointments and injuries. They ignored the low points and sit a combined 12-1-1.

It goes the other way, too.

The Jaguars were sky high at 4-1, having beaten the Chiefs in Week 5. Getting a beaten-up Seattle team, fresh off a disappointing loss, to fly across the country for a body clock game was the perfect opportunity. After one loss in the game, the Seahawks physically dominated. Now, they need to travel to London to face a talented Rams team and avoid turning one loss into a losing streak.

The Eagles need perspective most of all. They started 4-0, winning despite any concerns. But a comeback from Denver, which led to their first loss in Week 5, followed by a shocking upset by the Giants in Week 6, has flipped the perspective. Instead of their problems being potentially minor issues about usage, it turned into a full-blown fire about trust issues between their star players.

The drama has resulted in the Eagles remaining in first place in the NFC East.

Perspective.

And now, The Roundup.

Blind Resume

Is the passing game back? NFL passing numbers have trended downward since 2020. In 1994, we saw the first meaningful spike in passing game production, with the league average jumping from 200.6 per game to 213.6. Between 1994 and 2010, numbers stayed relatively static, averaging 210.0 per team game. That leaped in 2011 to 229.7 and continued at that rate until a drop from 240.2 in 2020 to 228.3 in 2021 to 218.5 in 2022. The league average from 2011 until 2021 was 234.9 per game. Through five weeks, we sat at 214.1, the lowest number since 2008.

A handful of quarterbacks dedicated Week 6 to bringing passing back, including some surprising places.

Can you name them all?

Stats Of The Week

Rico Dowdle, Carolina - 183 Rushing Yards, 56 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving Touchdown

Dowdle's 234 scrimmage yards in Week 5 were the highest of any player for the 2025 season. Dowdle said this Cowboys matchup meant more, so naturally, he had 239 scrimmage yards. Dowdle became the fourth player in NFL history with 380+ rushing yards and 80+ receiving yards over a two-game span, joining Doug Martin, Saquon Barkley, and Walter Payton. Dowdle became the 27th player in NFL history with 180+ rushing yards and 50+ receiving yards. Josh Jacobs, in Week 12, 2022, was the last player to hit those thresholds. Dowdle had 83 rushing yards after Week 4. His 472 are the third most in the league, trailing second-place Javonte Williams by just four.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle - 8 Receptions, 162 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving Touchdown

Smith-Njigba's 162 yards were a season high. He has hit eight receptions in four of six games. He's the seventh player in NFL history with 40+ receptions, 690+ yards, and 3+ touchdowns through the first six games of a season. Tyreek Hill was the last to do it in 2023. Marvin Harrison Jr. did it twice, in 2000 and 1999. His 696 yards are the 16th most through the first six games of a season in history.

Matthew Stafford, LA Rams - 61,493 Passing Yards / 107 Rams Touchdown Passes

Stafford passed Dan Marino on the career passing yardage list, moving into ninth place in NFL history. His touchdown pass was the 107th of his Rams career, tying him with Jared Goff for 5th on the franchise record board. He needs 1,480 yards to catch Matt Ryan for eighth on the career passing list and can jump Norm Van Brocklin and Marc Bulger for third place on the Rams franchise list with 15 more touchdowns.

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco - 57 Receiving Yards, 54 Rushing Yards

McCaffrey extended his streak with 50+ receiving yards to six games. It was already the longest streak for 50+ receiving yards by a running back to start a season. It ties James White for the fourth-longest streak in NFL history. McCaffrey and Lydell Mitchell had streaks of seven games, with McCaffrey's coming in 2019. Herschel Walker has the record, with ten straight in 1987.

This game was McCaffrey's 35th career game with 50+ Rushing Yards and 50+ Receiving Yards. It is the second most in NFL history, trailing only Marshall Faulk's 41.

McCaffrey passed Walker's 4,859 career receiving yards to move into the eighth most receiving yards by a running back in NFL history. He came just one yard short of passing Roger Craig for seventh.

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans - 4,884 Career Receiving Yards

McCaffrey passed Kamara on the career running back receiving yards list and outgained him in Week 6. But Kamara's 45 receiving yards pushed him past Darren Sproles and Walker. He is now ninth on the career list, needing 28 more to pass Craig.

Walker dropped from eighth to tenth on the career running back receiving yard list in one weekend.

DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh - 1 Receiving Touchdown

Metcalf has caught a touchdown in four consecutive games. He has one other four-game streak in his career, overlapping the end of his rookie season and the beginning of the next. Multiple Steelers have four-game streaks, with Antonio Brown holding the team record at eight and Ron Shanklin's six the only other streak longer than four games.

George Pickens, Dallas - 1 Receiving Touchdown, 9 Receptions, 168 Receiving Yards

Perhaps the Steelers are just trying to show their old receiver that they do not miss him. Outdoing Metcalf, Pickens has scored in five straight games. Dez Bryant and Terrell Owens share the team record, scoring in seven straight. His nine receptions were a career high, while his 168 yards were the second-highest total of his career. He has averaged 5.8 receptions, 99 yards, and 1.2  touchdowns over the last five games, a 17-game pace of 98.6-1,683-20.4. The full list of Cowboys receivers with 29+ receptions, 495+ yards, and 6+ touchdowns over five games: Dez Bryant (4 times), Terrell Owens (4 times), Michael Irvin, and Pickens.

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia - 1 Touchdown, 110 Receiving Yards, 9 Receptions

Add Goedert to the streakers. He has also scored in four straight, sitting behind a group of Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, and James Thrash, who each have five games for the Eagles. Mike Quick has the team record streak at six. Goedert's nine catches were the second most of his career, and he had his first 100-yard game since Week 3 of 2024. He had a quiet Week 1 and missed Week 2, but has been the overall TE2 since Week 3, trailing Jake Ferguson by just one point in half PPR scoring. Goedert needs two touchdowns to tie Brent Celek's 31 for the second-most touchdowns by an Eagles tight end. Zach Ertz has the most in team history, with 38.

New York Jets - Negative 10 Passing Yards

The Jets' team total of negative ten team passing yards is the lowest in the NFL since 1998. Justin Fields passed for 45. Josh Reynolds was the leading receiver with 25. Garrett Wilson injured his knee late in the game. Yuck.

Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco - 142 Receiving Yards

Not a typo. Bourne hit 142 yards, his exact yardage total from Week 5. The 49ers have had nine previous instances of consecutive 140+ receiving yardage games. Six of those nine belong to Jerry Rice. Bourne joins Rice, George Kittle, Terrell Owens, and Jonathan Taylor to hit 140 yards in two straight.

Deep Waiver Wire Names To Know

• RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee - Not a DWWNTK, but Spears outsnapped Tony Pollard and was the preferred option in the passing game. This definitely answers the question about the work split after Spears missed the first week.

• TE Oronde Gadsden II, LA Chargers / TE AJ Barner, Seattle - These two have graduated from DWWNTOK, but it is worth closing it out on a note. Barner is TE10 on the season and TE5 since Week 2. Gadsden had a major breakout game in Week 7. Judging by consensus ranks, they are badly undervalued. Special nod to Gadsden, who delivered a breakout performance against his father's long-time team in his hometown.

• RB Bam Knight / RB Michael Carter, Arizona - A report hit that Knight would be the primary back shortly before kickoff, but a dead equal split with Carter ensued. Luckily, Knight got the short touchdown to follow through as the better fantasy start and justify the report. The known coming out of this game, Emari Demercado, is out of the rotation. Knight and Carter are both flex consideration starters with risky floors.

• WR Tre' Harris, LA Chargers - Harris stepped in with Quentin Johnston out, leading all wide receivers in snaps. Johnston has played too well, and Gadsden received the target benefit, preventing Harris from taking this job. But the team giving Harris this opportunity is noteworthy in deep leagues.

• WR Christian Watson / WR Malik Heath, Green Bay - The Dontayvion Wicks dream may be dead. Wicks had been playing as the clear WR2 after Jayden Reed's injury, though the targets have not followed. Heath outsnapped Wicks here. Romeo Doubs has served as the WR1 in the offense, while rookie Matthew Golden has flashed his downfield ability. Josh Jacobs has had heavier usage in the pass game without Reed. Watson is the real name to watch; there is optimism that he is close to a return. When he is 100%, he should join Doubs and Golden in dominating snaps.

• WR Tez Johnson / WR Kameron Johnson, Tampa Bay - Emeka Egbuka, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan. All out. There is hope Evans returns in Week 7; he should be the first back. If he can, he plugs back into the X receiver role that Emeka Egbuka worked in before being replaced by Kameron Johnson. Tez Johnson played in Chris Godwin's vacant Z role through the game, seeing the most snaps and routes. He should remain there, whether it is Evans or the undrafted rookie Kameron seeing the X reps. Sterling Shepard has held down the slot most of the season.  Baker Mayfield is playing so well that every game is a shootout, and Week 7 brings the Lions, a team that can match score for score. If you are prioritizing the waiver, I think it is fair to argue that Kameron Johnson has the higher ceiling if Evans is out, given the usage we saw. In contrast, Tez Johnson has a better chance to remain relevant until at least one of Egbuka, Godwin, or McMillan can return opposite Evans. Shepard should stay in the slot until two healthy receivers join Evans. Tight end Cade Otton may be the play we really want.

• RB Samaje Perine, Cincinnati - Perine and Chase Brown were a dead-even split in Week 5, but the blowout nature of the loss could have been attributed as a factor. There was no blowout this week. Perine is even in terms of rep, squashing the argument that Brown owns the backfield even with a slow start.

• RB Jaydon Blue / RB Phil Mafah, Dallas - Miles Sanders was placed on season-ending IR, and Blue is firmly on the waiver radar. Do not forget about Mafah. Javonte Williams struggled in Week 6, his first bad game of 2025. He is well entrenched, but should anything happen to him, the Cowboys will likely work both rookies in a rotation. Mafah could see early down work and, most importantly, goal-line opportunities if the situation presents. Blue is the priority if he is still available, but Mafah should be rostered in deeper leagues.

• QB Tyler Huntley, Baltimore - The Ravens have a bye in Week 7, and no team has ever needed one more, so we could see Lamar Jackson return in Week 8. For the first time, the Steelers are now favored to win the AFC North. Four teams have made the playoffs after a 1-5 start: Washington (2020 - finished 7-9), Indianapolis (2018 finished 10-6), Kansas City (2015 finished 11-5), and Cincinnati (1970 finished 8-6). The bull case for the Ravens is that all five losses have come against 2024 playoff teams, and of the remaining 11 games, the team only has three against playoff teams from 2024 (the Steelers twice and the Packers). All that is to say, there are plenty of reasons to believe the season is not over and to put Jackson back in Week 8. We have seen Huntley be a fantasy contributor (he even made the Pro Bowl) and bring the Ravens up to competency. In the deepest superflex formats, he is worth rostering as four teams are on a Week 8 bye, and there is a chance the team takes caution with Jackson.

• WR Pat Bryant, Denver - Bryant has steadily trended upward, growing in involvement weekly. He has exceeded 50% snap share the past two weeks and looks even with Troy Franklin for nominal WR2 duties in Denver. It is fair to point out that Denver's production is unpredictable with game planning, and Bryant may still be fifth on the pecking order behind Courtland Sutton, Evan Engram, Franklin, and Marvin Mims Jr.. But we also know roles can shift fast with young players, and injuries are an unfortunate reality. Bryant is likely rostered in most every Dynasty league given his Day 2 status and rookie buzz, but the deepest leagues should have an eye on him.

• WR Josh Reynolds / WR Arian Smith, NY Jets - To be clear, I am not saying to invest in the Jets' passing game actively. But if Garrett Wilson does miss time, targets have to go somewhere. And yes, I know the dirt could be the place they go. Reynolds was the best fantasy producer in Week 6, with 25 yards. He knows the offense from his time in Detroit. Smith has big play potential. The two should be the primary options outside of Mason Taylor and Breece Hall if Wilson is out. If you are here, prefer Reynolds in redraft and Smith in Dynasty.

• WR Jordan Whittington / WR Tutu Atwell, LA Rams - Initial indications paint a negative Week 7 picture for Puka Nacua, despite his return in Week 6. This is not unusual. Players have adrenaline and possibly more emotions (and other stuff) flowing through them during a game. When that stops and swelling hits, they struggle to be ready the following week. If Nacua is out, Davante Adams should be among the target leaders for the week. Whittington gives the best chance to fill in some of the schemed plays run for Nacua. Worth noting that Tutu Atwell was close to a game-time decision. Without Nacua, expect Whittington and Atwell to be the receivers supporting Adams, with Xavier Smith and rookie Konata Mumpfield as depth pieces. Smith had a strong preseason, and the team likes him. Mumpfield was a buzz preseason performer as a rookie and should be rostered in the deepest Dynasty formats. The Rams have a Week 8 bye following a London trip in Week 7, which will almost surely knock Nacua out for at least one week.

• WR Zay Jones, Arizona - Both Jones and Wilson flashed in moments during a shootout with the Colts after Marvin Harrison Jr. left with a concussion. But Jones was the more reliable presence on targets. The backup narrative could be running here with Jacoby Brissett filling in for Kyler Murray at quarterback, though Jones had consistently played as the WR3 late in camp and early in the season. Jones' game is better suited than Wilson's or Greg Dortch's at running a variety of routes and filling as the nominal WR1. Not saying it is something to feel good about, but since concussions usually mean missing the following week, Jones is on the streamer radar.

• WR Jimmy Horn Jr., Carolina - Horn has consistently been the fifth receiver behind Brycen Tremayne and Hunter Renfrow after the two starters outside. But Horn has also been the player who has consistently shone when given the opportunity. Jalen Coker should be back very soon, but Tremayne and Renfrow should be the pieces displaced, with Horn still getting a schemed opportunity—a Name To Know.

• Indianapolis Backup Running Back - It does not require immediate action, but it is worth noting that Ameer Abdullah, not rookie DJ Giddens, has been the nominal backup as Jonathan Taylor has dominated work. If Taylor were to miss a game, we know it would not be a fantasy season without Abdullah finding some way to be relevant. To add to the confusion, Tyler Goodson has missed the last two games with injury.

• TE Hunter Long, Jacksonville - It happened last Monday Night, but Brenton Strange went on IR. Long dominated snaps and routes run with Johnny Mundt as the blocking complement on multiple tight end looks. There was minimal fantasy production, and the Jaguars spread out targets, but there are deep enough leagues that a tight end with a high potential opportunity share has value.

• WR Van Jefferson, Tennessee - Calvin Ridley was knocked out quickly with a hamstring. His status must be monitored. Jefferson was the primary beneficiary, leading the team in receiving. Chimere Dike and Tyler Lockett also played in rotation. The offensive ceiling is low and production is likely unpredictable, but Jefferson was the one this week.

• TE Noah Fant / TE Tanner Hudson, Cincinnati - With Mike Gesicki left due to an injury, Fant was the leader in snaps, while Hudson was the more productive option. Playing a Cincinnati tight end is a desperation move, and receiver Andrei Iosivas outsnapped Tee Higgins as the team frequently used three wide receiver sets.

Spike Week

Production comes from the most unlikely places. Reading the matchup tea leaves can flip weekly outcomes. The Spike Week is the holy grail for large field tournaments. These weeks could be signs of big things to come, or just a one-off blip because a safety took the wrong angle.

Surprise players who crushed this week:

• QB: Jaxson Dart, NY Giants - 23.6 Points
• RB: Rico Dowdle, Carolina - 31.9 Points
• RB: Cam Skattebo, NY Giants - 30 Points
• RB: Kimani Vidal, LA Chargers - 21.3 Points
• RB: Derrick Henry, Baltimore - 13.5 Points
• WR: Kayshon Boutte, New England - 23.8 Points
• WR: Marquise Brown, Kansas City - 18.5 Points
• WR: Wan'Dale Robinson, NY Giants - 17.4 Points
• WR: Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco - 16.7 Points
• WR: Jameson Williams, Detroit - 15.6 Points
• TE:  Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia - 21.5 Points
• TE: Michael Mayer, Las Vegas - 13.5 Points

Take Note

The Giants' top offensive trio in Week 2 was Russell Wilson, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Malik Nabers. That was so last month. Dart, Skattebo, and Robinson are in now and have games conducive to fantasy production. The blowout win over Philadelphia was the most impressive and eye-opening performance of the week.

There was an answer in the Chargers' backfield. Granted, the Dolphins are a must-target matchup for running backs, but Vidal had been identified by the coaching staff as the "next man up" following the injury to Najee Harris. As we see sometimes with third running backs, Haskins may have made himself too valuable on special teams to shift into a heavy offensive role. There were rumors of the team examining the trade market, but they have to feel much better this morning about their standing. Kudos to managers who grabbed Vidal.

Goedert is the beneficiary of the new offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo. Goedert was the clear third option behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in previous schemes. We knew he was talented, and sometimes, with a change of coordinators, we see other players increase their roles. There have been social media posts declaring Goedert a Top 12 rest-of-season option. They are underselling his impact, suggesting there is potential for buy-in. Goedert should be in the Top 5 argument at the position, and the market will undervalue him given his past and concerns about the Eagles' passing attack.

Our Jeff Blaylock likes to say, "once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend." Bourne has moved into coincidence. Jauan Jennings shared the extent of his injuries following the game, playing through five broken ribs, among other ailments. There is reporting that Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, and George Kittle have a chance to return for Week 7. That said, Bourne has been a key player for Kyle Shanahan in the past, and there is ample opportunity remaining in the rotation. At the minimum, Bourne is a Top 20 play until multiple pieces are plugged back in.

Fools' Gold

Marquise Brown was schemed into two creative touchdowns. That is always in play with Patrick Mahomes II and Andy Reid. But Rashee Rice returns in Week 7, and the Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Tyquan Thornton trio that has proven valuable in moments is likely to fade away.

Boutte is a good player who has given us three usable fantasy weeks out of six. But until we see these performances consistently, he likely falls into the "Rashod Bateman" bucket of a player on a good offense who gives a Top 40 end-of-year finish but is maddening to work around in a managed league. Boutte does deserve a shout-out for a Hometown Hero performance, as he grew up two hours from New Orleans before starring at LSU.

Mayer is riding the fence a bit, but he looked excellent. That said, we do expect Brock Bowers to return at some point, Geno Smith's play has been horrible, and Smith has a clear rapport with Tre Tucker, who he said reminds him of Tyler Lockett. Enjoy the production from Mayer as a streaming option, and there is a chance he will establish himself. Still, despite two-tight-end prevalence across the league, we do not have two relevant, consistent fantasy tight ends on one team.

I hate to label Henry as fool's gold, and a switch to Tyler Huntley should only continue to emphasize the run game. This is a perspective conversation. Given his name value, a 122-yard performance may be enough to push the market back in. But he is sitting at RB11 on the week with Bijan Robinson, James Cook, D'Andre Swift, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt still to play. We know there is no involvement in the passing game. Without Lamar Jackson, the offense doesn't rank in the top five, and touchdowns are unpredictable. If the panic continues, buying Henry is worth it, but it is more likely that the 122 yards will be enough to squash the true panic window without providing the return a manager is likely to want based on name and 2024 performance.

Do it again. That's all I'm going to say on Williams' strong game against the Chiefs.

The Landmine Lineup

We often focus on "Spike Weeks" in fantasy football. Explosive 30+ point per game performances that win weeks almost single-handedly. Dud lineups that ruin your week are the opposite end of that spectrum. Every week, I will highlight the hypothetical Landmine Lineup. If you have started this lineup, message me, and I will feature your misfortune so we can find a way to brighten your week!

• QB: Justin Fields, NY Jets - 4.9 points
• RB: Rhamondre Stevenson, New England - 1.8 Points
• RB: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland - 3.6 Points
• RB: J.K. Dobbins, Denver - 4 Points
• WR: Courtland Sutton, Denver - 2.2 Points
• WR: Stefon Diggs, New England - 4.3 Points
• WR: Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis - 3 Points
• WR: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville - 3.5 Points
• TE:  Mason Taylor, NY Jets - 0.7 Points

This week's lineup posted 28 points.

Panic Zone

How about Landmine Game? Giving London the Broncos vs. the Jets is the type of export that could start international conflicts. There was one touchdown in the game, from Broncos backup tight end Nate Adkins.  You were fine if you played kickers Nick Folk or Will Lutz. Let's hope the Rams and Jaguars can show better in Week 7.

The Jets are particularly concerning, especially if Garrett Wilson is out for a significant amount of time. Their defense is just good enough to keep opponents honest, but their offense poses little threat outside of garbage time. That's a combination of suck when it comes to fantasy; opponents don't feel pressured to keep pushing and can instead value ball security to avoid giving a game away. Week 7 gives the Panthers, a team perfectly content with running the ball and killing the clock.

The Browns made the curious decision to abandon their best offensive player in a game that was very close until the end. There is minimal long-term concern, though.

Drake Maye is playing well enough, but there are other contributors on the Patriots, which could lead to some frustrating low outcomes from key players. Diggs had a long pass called back due to offensive pass interference. The team is being cautious in its ramp-up and leaned on him for the last two weeks.

Hunter will flash; he is that type of player, but Jacksonville is content to spread the ball outside of Brian Thomas Jr., who had his best game of the season.

Pittman came in riding a three-game touchdown streak, but his underlying usage paints the picture of a fantasy WR3. He has been under 42 yards in four of six games. Tyler Warren is the top target in the offense, and Josh Downs has emerged after a slow start.

We give injured players a pass; things happen in football, and they have enough to worry about. That said, Week 6 stacked a heap of injury concerns on a position that has already been decimated. Puka Nacua, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Garrett Wilson, and Calvin Ridley are all working through issues of varying severity. Stay close to our Adam Hutchinson's injury coverage. 

If you started this lineup, send me a message at Bell@Footballguys.com!

Blind Resume Answer

Who had Mac Jones and Jacoby Brissett leading the NFL in passing yards in Week 6 on the bingo card?

Matthew Stafford is leading the NFL in passing yards, at 1,684, though the weather hit him in Week 6 to tamp down his numbers. Prescott is second, showing no ill effects from his injury-shortened 2024. Darnold follows, supported by NFL receiving yardage leader Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Maye is fifth, in a true breakout season. Meanwhile, Mahomes is back where he belongs as the top-scoring fantasy quarterback after multiple disappointing seasons in that department.

Not that bad considering the Jets provided negative contributions to the overall league total.

Deep Players To Watch On Monday Night Football

TE Jackson Hawes, Buffalo

Dalton Kincaid has been a breakout performer for the Bills, but he enters Week 6 as a game-time decision. Hawes is by no means a streaming replacement, but this note is for lovers of the game itself.

The rookie Hawes may already be the best blocking tight end in football. PFF's grading suggests as much, with a seventh-place 79.0 pass blocking grade and third-place 78.6 run blocking grade. Hawes is the only tight end above 75 in both metrics in the league.

His receiving usage, while minimal, has been impactful as well. He has just four receptions, but the first of his career was a 29-yarder up the seam to set the Bills up with a goal to go late in the Week 1 comeback over Baltimore, and his first career touchdown opened the scoring in Week 3's win over rival Miami.

Hawes has played so well that he has generated speculation as the Bills' full-time tight end of the future. That is likely over its skis given the impact of Kincaid, but releasing Dawson Knox following 2025 presents significant cap savings for a team battling the threshold. Week 6 in a primetime spot is a good chance for Hawes to continue the strong career start.

Thank you, Nathan Jahnke. I rewatched every game while compiling this article, but without Nathan's ability to deliver consistent breakdowns after the games, this article would be much more difficult.

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