Welcome to Week 7 of the 2026 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Replacing Davante Adams
- Replacing Terry McLaurin
- Starters Returning to Work
- DeVonta Smith's Value Without Jalen Hurts
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: The following players are likely to return during the next few weeks.
Who will have the best fantasy value?
Mike Kashuba: With Josh Jacobs behind a putrid offensive line, Jordan Mason having zero receiving work, and Alec Pierce being on the Indianapolis Colts, DJ Moore wins by default. He's tied to the best offense, is likely the best player individually on the list, and in the short term the Bills have a shootout on their hands, then will need to find ways to beat the blitz against the Vikings quickly.
Khalil Shakir has been the Bills' solution in the short areas of the field, but DJ Moore is familiar with a low average depth of target role and can be part of the solution for the Brian Flores problem. I expect him to have a solid couple of weeks and to get back on track to being the clear Bills number one option.
Maurile Tremblay: Josh Jacobs should slide into the Packers' starting running back job immediately this week. He might not be in game shape yet, but he should need less time to ramp up than a player coming back from injury.
MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Pierre Strong Jr. have combined for one of the worst rushing starts in league history, under 60 yards a game with 4 fumbles between them. Jacobs outclasses the rest of the RB room and should go straight back to the lead role.
Meng Song: Some might say Josh Jacobs, but I think those fantasy GMs will be walking into a fantasy minefield. Jacobs projects to return to a workhorse role, but behind a disastrous, injury-marred Packers offensive line. There is still a risk that the league will suspend him beyond the six weeks he already spent on the exempt list, but the volume he should get when active makes that risk worthwhile.
Instead, Jordan Mason will be returning to a 5-0 Vikings team that may or may not be a fluke. If Kyler Murray can get the offense going to complement Minnesota's elite defense, there's a non-zero chance that Mason could finish the season with double-digit touchdowns despite having missed four games.
Even splitting time with Aaron Jones Sr., Mason projects to lead the team in carries behind a Vikings offensive line that ranked fifth-best in run block win rate heading into their bye. If he returns from IR this week, Mason will get to face the Colts, who rank dead last in run stop win rate through six weeks.
Mason will also play against the Bills, Packers, and Panthers over the next couple of months, all of whom have struggled to stop the run. I'll take my chances with Mason, whose thumb injury isn't as much of an obstacle to reacclimating to the field as most other injuries that keep a player off the field.
Corey Spala: Well, Meng, I am happy to walk into a minefield with Josh Jacobs. When Pierre Strong Jr., MarShawn Lloyd, and Kaleb Johnson are combining for over 20 touches a game, I am okay with pushing my chips into Jacobs. He has averaged 18.97 touches per game with Green Bay.
Meng noted the downside with the offensive line, and we have them ranked 30th overall in run blocking. Jacobs ranked 12th in yards after contact per rush over the 2024 and 2025 seasons. I can see Jacobs providing a spark to the offense, especially in the area where they are lacking.