What You Need to Know from Week 7

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

• The Bengals' defense gave up four passing touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers - all to tight ends. That doesn't necessarily mean that Mason Taylor and Tyrod Taylor are good streamers for Week 8 because of the state of the Jets' offense. We will target the Bengals' defense with our quarterback and tight end plays when possible, though.
• Jaylen Warren took control of the backfield with 158 total yards and 20 touches to Kenneth Gainwell's five. Gainwell is still a high-injury upside bench stash, but he's not an essential hold with Warren asserting himself. We will target the Bengals' defense with our running back plays when possible, including Breece Hall in Week 8.
• Joe Flacco was throwing like it was his heyday, and the way Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were, he probably feels like it is. The Steelers' defense was atrocious, just like in Week 1 when they made it seem like the Jets offense would take the league by storm, so it might be an illusion. But it also might be a sign that Flacco has lasting value as a QB1 play because of the quality of his receivers.
• There's no doubt that Chase's and Higgins' values have gained back a lot of what they lost when Joe Burrow went down. Higgins could be an even better play this week because Jets shutdown corner Sauce Gardner left Week 7 with a concussion.
• Noah Fant caught all four of his targets for over 40 yards and a score. He's worth picking up for cheap if you need Sam LaPorta or Trey McBride bye coverage.
• Chase Brown went over 100 yards on only 11 carries, by far his best game of the year. Flacco's arrival may revive his rushing stats and touchdown opportunities. Again, Steelers defense false positive alert, but Brown could be a good buy-low candidate.

LA Rams vs Jacksonville - London

• Matthew Stafford was a maestro with five touchdown passes, even though Puka Nacua was out for this game. The only game in the last four that Stafford wasn't an elite play was in the wind against the listless Ravens. He's a high-floor QB1 going into his bye.
• Sean McVay replaced Nacua's presence with a tight-end-heavy attack that would have made Arthur Smith envious. Jordan Whittington replaced Nacua in the lineup, but he was a fantasy dud as the tight end trio and Davante Adams (with three short touchdown passes) ruled the day.
• Brian Thomas Jr. left with a shoulder injury and was unimpressive again, including more of the drops that have plagued him. Travis Hunter had his first touchdown and 100-yard game. It won't be a surprise if Hunter is the #1 receiver after the bye. Try to target him in a trade.
• The running game didn't get on track because of the blowout game script. Travis Etienne Jr. was actually productive on his minimal carries, but the team could incorporate Bhayshul Tuten more into the game plan coming out of the bye. Hopefully, the offensive line play will improve, making up for any potential value from Etienne if Tuten gets a larger share of the work in Week 9.
• Trevor Lawrence was plagued by drops, offensive penalties, and his own inconsistency. He remains a boom/bust option going into the bye and isn't an essential hold in leagues where there are decent starting quarterback options on the waiver wire. Don't underestimate the Rams D/ST, which sacked Lawrence seven times.

Philadelphia at Minnesota

• Jalen Hurts and the deep passing game came alive in a game that should allow everyone who has Hurts, AJ Brown (who caught two long scores, including one on a fourth down in the first half), and DeVonta Smith (who convinced the team to try throwing deep to him and delivered a 79-yard score and 9-183-1 line) to breath a sigh of relief.
• Dallas Goedert didn't score for the first time in five games, but the improvement in the downfield passing game should still help his efficiency in the long run, even if he gets fewer targets than he did when the pass offense was strictly conservative.
• Saquon Barkley got a little banged up in the game with a shoulder issue and, once again, did not find room to run. He doesn't look physically limited. With the passing game stretching the field, his fantasy prospects should improve eventually, even if he doesn't come close to his 2024 value.
• Carson Wentz moved the offense most of the afternoon, but the Vikings settled for five field goals. But it wasn't enough to beat the Eagles. Wentz also threw a pick-six and another bad interception from his own end on 2nd and 25. J.J. McCarthy isn't ready to play in Week 8, so Wentz will start again vs. the Chargers despite nursing a shoulder injury, but once McCarthy is ready, a game like this makes it easier for Kevin O'Connell to put Wentz back on the bench.
• Jordan Addison got open at will and racked up nice gains to go over 100 yards on nine catches. It's not clear how McCarthy's eventual return will affect the value of the passing game, but for Week 8, Addison is a strong start.

New England at Tennessee

• Drake Maye was outstanding in this one and could have had an even bigger game if a Patriots defensive touchdown in the second half had sealed the game in the third quarter.
• Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte are both upside WR3/Flex plays as long as Maye is playing this well. Boutte only caught two passes, but they went for 55 yards and a score. Diggs had seven catches for 69 yards to show us the middle between his ceiling and floor game pattern so far this season.
• Rhamondre Stevenson dominated backfield touches and played like someone who deserved to. He ripped off nice gains early on to get the offense on schedule and scored to post a strong RB2/low RB1 level game. He's an every-week start if this backfield split persists, and TreVeyon Henderson (who got the same number of snaps as Terrell Jennings) will only have value if Stevenson gets hurt.
• Cam Ward actually led three drives that ended with points in the first half. With Brian Callahan fired, the biggest change was using rookie fourth-round pick Chimere Dike as a downfield target. He got free for a long score and posted a 4-70-1 line even though he wasn't among the top two Titans wide receivers in snaps. He's worth a pickup if roster size allows.
• Fellow rookie fourth-round pick Gunnar Helm seemed to take the mantle of top receiving tight end from Chig Okonkwo. Okonkwo can be dropped if you have been holding him, hoping he would become one of Ward's favorite targets.

Carolina at NY Jets

• Bryce Young left with an ankle injury. The Panthers' offense was being contained by a resurgent Jets defense, and the offense is going to be run-heavy. Andy Dalton will start in Week 8 against Buffalo, but he's only a low-ceiling QB2/Superflex. Young isn't worth carrying through his injury in typical 1QB leagues.
• Chuba Hubbard got the start, but he and Rico Dowdle alternated series for the rest of the game. Previously, Hubbard got two series to every one for Dowdle. Dowdle was much more effective than Hubbard, and he's the more valuable fantasy back. It won't be a surprise if he eventually separates from Hubbard, but we shouldn't count on it happening because of coach loyalty. Dowdle is an RB2/Flex play against Buffalo, while Hubbard is a what-the-heck flex.
• Tetairoa McMillan had a quiet game with top shutdown corner Sauce Gardner limiting him until Gardner left the game in the fourth quarter with a concussion. Don't worry about McMillan. You can plug him into your Week 8 lineup.
• Xavier Legette had the biggest game of his career, and he made big catches with both Young and Dalton. He's worth an add in all leagues, and a WR3/Flex start in Week 8.
• Jalen Coker returned, but didn't catch a pass and played in a rotation with Brycen Tremayne and Jimmy Horn Jr.. He's not worth carrying in redraft leagues after there was optimism about his possible impact upon his return.
• Justin Fields was terrible again in Week 7 and was benched for Tyrod Taylor. Taylor will start in Week 8, and probably going forward. Taylor hasn't played well this year and is only a desperation QB2/Superflex, although he'll probably be better for Garrett Wilson's value when Wilson returns from a knee injury.
• Breece Hall got 22 carries in a close game, but only turned them into 59 yards and didn't catch a pass. The presence of Fields didn't seem to open up holes for him in the running game lately, and Fields forgot about him in the passing game, so the quarterback change can't be bad for his value. We'll see if Hall is traded over the next two weeks, with the trade deadline coming up in early November.
• Mason Taylor was a dude, even though the Panthers have been a great matchup for fantasy tight ends. He's a what-the-heck TE1 play with Taylor at quarterback vs. Cincinnati in an equally good matchup for tight ends.

Miami at Cleveland

• It was windy, and the Browns' defense is good, but Tua Tagovailoa was bad enough to wonder if he is going to get benched soon. Quinn Ewers could be getting significant action for this team soon, putting De'Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle's value base in question.
• Waddle left the game after coming down hard. We'll be monitoring reports for his Week 8 status at Atlanta.
• Quinshon Judkins was mostly held in check by the Dolphins' run defense, but he scored three times to post an elite fantasy game anyway. He's a boom/bust play, but can't leave our lineups.
• The wind and game script kept the Browns' passing game from doing anything of note. Harold Fannin Jr. did lead the team in catches and receiving yards, and he'll be a solid play against the Patriots if David Njoku isn't ready to play in Week 8.

New Orleans at Chicago

• Spencer Rattler was responsible for four turnovers in a game that made you wonder if he's getting benched for Tyler Shough soon. Shough is a preemptive pickup this week in superflex/2QB leagues, but Rattler is expected to start against the Bucs in Week 8.
• Kendre Miller left with a torn ACL. Sixth-round pick Devin Neal will become the backup. Alvin Kamara's role shouldn't increase enough to materially change his value.
• Chris Olave was clicking with Rattler in the downfield passing game when Rattler wasn't throwing picks or coughing up the football. Olave had a ceiling game with two scores and is hot heading into the game with Tampa.
• Juwan Johnson had his best game in a month with Rattler throwing more once the Saints were down 20-0. He's a viable streamer again vs. the Bucs.
• The Bears led the running game on offense. D'Andre Swift looked great and posted a 100-yard game with a score for the second straight week despite being on the injury report. Kyle Monangai also scored and ran the ball enough and well enough to be a good RB2/Flex play. It's possible that Monangai will have value without a Swift injury, and his ceiling if Swift misses time is getting higher. The Bears clearly focused on the run game during their Week 5 bye.
• Caleb Williams and the passing game were downplayed in the lopsided win game script. His value has dropped off a cliff after a hot start. He's only an upside QB1 play in Week 8 if Lamar Jackson starts for Baltimore.
• Rome Odunze and DJ Moore had quiet games, with the team running more than they passed. Odunze has had two duds in a row and might be very volatile and game script dependent going forward.
• Luther Burden III did not have a bigger role in the passing game, even though he has been one of their most productive receivers on very limited snaps. He's probably a drop with the team's shift in offensive philosophy.
• Cole Kmet left with a back injury. First round pick Colston Loveland is a viable Week 8 streamer if Lamar Jackson, but his rest of season outlook is still somewhat dim, so he's not a priority or long-term add.

Las Vegas at Kansas City