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FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

Panthers without Bryce Young (ankle) for Week 8

Mon Oct 20 12:13pm ET
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Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and is not expected to be available for Week 8 when Carolina hosts the Buffalo Bills, NFL Network reported Monday.

Young was removed from Sunday's win over the Jets and head coach Dave Canales said he was concerned about the potential for a long-term absence.

Young was unable to support his body weight with his injured right leg and ankle, but an MRI exam on Monday showed no major structural damage beyond the ankle sprain, according to reports.

Andy Dalton relieved Young in the 13-6 win at New York and will start this week for the Panthers (4-3) against the Bills (4-2).

With running back Chuba Hubbard returning to the Panthers on Sunday after a two-week absence, Canales said the offense is built for a running game, which should benefit the team in the event of an injury-sparked QB change. Rico Dowdle and Hubbard have a combined 799 rushing yards this season.

"It's running the football," Canales said of the strength of the offense. "And Andy can handle all those things and the pass game, the reps, the time on task with the group that we have, we've got to stay within the core of our system, and Andy's fully involved in all that. So if he does play, that'll be the mode."

Young, 24, left the game after a quarterback sack in the third quarter.

Carolina's defense helped preserve the victory with two interceptions in the second half by cornerback Jaycee Horn. The Panthers also had six sacks.

Dalton, 38, started five games last season and has appeared in 178 NFL games (168 starts) over 15 seasons. He is 382 passing yards shy of 40,000 for his career.

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Five Fantasy Takeaways: Week 7

Player Notes
Zach Ertz Oct 20 11:10am CT
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz reeled in 3-of-7 targets for 36 yards and a touchdown in his team's 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Commanders' offense couldn't get much going against Dallas, and that was true before and after second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels (hamstring) was forced from the game with an injury. Ertz encouragingly led the team in targets and corralled his fourth TD of the campaign, putting him on pace to surpass his figure from a season ago (seven). However, his production will take a hit moving forward if Daniels is again forced to miss time. The 34-year-old could be on the streaming radar in Week 9 when his team squares off with the Kansas City Chiefs. Although, that would largely depend on the status of wide receivers Terry McLaurin (quad) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel). The duo's practice status should be monitored over the week ahead, as should the result of Daniels' MRI.

From RotoBaller

Andy Dalton Oct 20 11:10am CT
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers veteran backup quarterback Andy Dalton is in line to start in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills, and possibly beyond, after Bryce Young suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 7 win over the New York Jets, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Young is expected to miss Week 8 against Buffalo, putting Dalton in place to make his first start of 2025. The 37-year-old stepped in for the injured Young in the fourth quarter of Sunday's ugly 13-6 win over New York and went 4-for-7 for 60 yards and no touchdowns. The Red Rifle made five starts for the Panthers last year when Young was benched and completed 66.7% of his pass attempts for 989 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions. Dalton will most likely be asked to be more of a game manager, with the Panthers likely leaning heavily on both running backs Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard. At best, he'll likely be nothing more than a low-end QB2 streamer for a couple of weeks in superflex leagues with Young sidelined.

From RotoBaller

Joe Flacco Oct 20 10:50am CT
Joe Flacco

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco is a strong streaming option ahead of Week 8 with six NFL teams on bye. This coming weekend will feature 2025's largest bye week, with quite a few high-powered offenses taking a game off. While Flacco projects to be a nice fill-in for the diminished slate, he's been excellent either way, posting 561 yards and a 5:0 TD:INT ratio since being traded to the Bengals. Moreover, he's slated for two juicy matchups ahead of the team's Week 10 bye in the New York Jets and Chicago Bears. If he can keep up his recent string of performances, it isn't out of the question that the 40-year-old can become a consistent fantasy starter. For all the flak he's taken over the years, Flacco has performed well when given the weapons to succeed.

From RotoBaller

Michael Mayer Oct 20 10:40am CT
Michael Mayer

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer hauled in one of his two targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Raiders were handily out-matched against their division rivals, and have now scored a total of 26 points across the last three contests. Mayer was out there for nearly all of the team's snaps (94%), though they netted just 95 total yards of offense. Las Vegas will head into its bye week at 2-5, sitting at the bottom of the AFC West. However, they figure to get both wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (knee, toe) and tight end Brock Bowers (knee) back in the fold in Week 9, boosting the team's outlook. If that comes to fruition, Mayer should see his role shrink accordingly. If it doesn't, he'll be an intriguing streaming option against a susceptible Jaguars' pass defense.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Oct 20 10:20am CT
Justin Fields

ESPN's Rich Cimini reports that New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn "hasn't decided on his QB" going forward after the team's miserable 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. The Jets are 0-7 on the season and have not scored a touchdown in either of their last two games. Starting quarterback Justin Fields was benched midway through Week 7 and has thrown for 845 yards and four touchdowns across six starts so far this season. Veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor took over for Fields against Carolina and completed 10 of 22 pass attempts for 126 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Jets have a favorable matchup on paper in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but could once again be without star wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee). If he remains the starter, Fields maintains some fantasy appeal due to his rushing ability (257 rushing yards, three touchdowns this season). If the 36-year-old Taylor takes over, he will be tough for fantasy managers to trust, even in two-quarterback formats.

From RotoBaller

Travis Hunter Oct 20 10:20am CT
Travis Hunter

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter broke out in Sunday's 35-7 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, nabbing 8-of-14 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. The second-overall pick of April's draft finally had his coming-out party in London, setting new career-highs across the board. Hunter was superb, separating at all three levels of the field despite his team getting blown out. With Jacksonville on bye in Week 9, it may give teammate Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) the time he needs to heal his ailing shoulder. The exact nature (and severity) of the injury is currently unknown, so if more time is required, Hunter should again operate as the team's No. 1 wideout. Either way, fantasy managers have to be encouraged by the rookie's scoring outburst over the weekend. We're sure to get an update on Thomas Jr. soon.

From RotoBaller

Brashard Smith Oct 20 10:00am CT
Brashard Smith

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Brashard Smith saw by far the heaviest usage of his young NFL career in Week 7, recording 14 carries for 39 yards and five catches for 42 yards in his team's 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. It's worth noting that there was a significant amount of garbage time in this game. Still, veteran Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (ankle) suffered an ankle injury early in the game and had to get taped up in order to return. Even if Hunt does not miss any time due to the injury, Kansas City could lessen his workload in favor of Smith. With Hunt healthy, the Chiefs have still prioritized getting the ball in Smith's hands in the passing game, as he's seen 16 targets over his last four games. There's a possibility Smith takes over as the team's primary passing-downs back, which gives him some deep-league fantasy appeal.

From RotoBaller

Chris Moore Oct 20 9:40am CT
Chris Moore

Washington Commanders wide receiver Chris Moore recorded two catches for 59 yards on five targets in his team's 44-22 Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. After seeing seven total targets over the first five weeks of the season, Moore has now earned 10 targets in his last two games. Moore's expanded role could continue, given the current injuries to Washington wideouts Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel), Terry McLaurin (quad), and Noah Brown (groin). Brown is on Injured Reserve, but Samuel Sr. and McLaurin could both return in Week 8 when the Commanders take on the Kansas City Chiefs. If Samuel Sr. and McLaurin remain sidelined, Moore should be expected to have a role in his team's passing game and could be a decent deep-league wide receiver/flex option.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Monangai Oct 20 9:40am CT
Kyle Monangai

Chicago Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai had the best game of his young NFL career in his team's Week 7 win over the New Orleans Saints, recording 94 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 15 total touches. The 23-year-old has been an efficient player so far this season, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 5.4 yards per touch. Monangai remains the clear RB2 in Chicago behind D'Andre Swift, who had a similarly stellar game in Week 7 with 138 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 20 total touches. Still, Monangai could slowly steal work away from Swift over the course of the season. At the very least, Monangai is a high-end handcuff option who should be rostered and stashed in deep fantasy leagues. The Bears will travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

TreVeyon Henderson Oct 20 9:30am CT
TreVeyon Henderson

New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson was one of the buzziest names in fantasy football after his strong preseason showing. However, the 22-year-old has failed to carve out a consistent role in his team's offense through the first seven games of his career. For the season so far, Henderson has recorded 252 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 59 total touches. He logged just two carries in Week 7 and has failed to reach double-digit touches in four out of seven games in 2025. Henderson appears to be firmly behind veteran Rhamondre Stevenson on the running back depth chart in New England. Henderson maintains significant dynasty appeal, and deep-league redraft fantasy managers should continue to be patient as well. However, in shallow redraft leagues, Henderson might be difficult to roster given his current playing time situation.

From RotoBaller

Zavier Scott Oct 20 9:10am CT
Zavier Scott

Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott suffered an injury to his right wrist in Week 7's loss to the Eagles. Scott handled four carries for four yards and added a catch for two yards in the game, and appears to have banged up his wrist at some point during the game. Scott has served as the primary backup to Jordan Mason while Aaron Jones (hamstring) is on injured reserve. The severity of Scott's injury is unclear at the moment, but more updates should follow in the coming days.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Oct 20 9:00am CT
Kyle Pitts

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden exploded in Week 7 against the Colts with seven catches (nine targets) for 164 yards and a touchdown. Gadsden had been working his way into a full-time role at tight end in Los Angeles, and it's all come together over the past two weeks. He's logged a route on 77% of dropbacks in each of those games and should maintain a consistent role in the offense moving forward after a performance like this. The 2025 fifth-round pick was winning at all levels of the field and had an unreal catch and run for 53 yards early in the third quarter. His 164 yards were the most in a game by a rookie tight end since Kyle Pitts in 2021. Gadsden should be the priority waiver add in all formats this week.

From RotoBaller

Oronde Gadsden II Oct 20 8:48am CT
Oronde Gadsden II

Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden caught seven of his nine targets for 164 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The highlight of his game was a 53-yard catch on the second play of the third quarter, but his 15-yard touchdown was impressive, too. The rookie has broken out recently, catching 14 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown over his last two contests. He is the overall TE1 in PPR leagues over the last two weeks. Although that's a relatively small sample size to assess, Sunday's big game showed that Gadsden's sudden success is no fluke. He should continue to operate as a primary target for Justin Herbert, giving him high-end TE2 appeal with TE1 upside.

Tyler Warren Oct 20 8:40am CT
Tyler Warren

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren caught four of five targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in the Colts' 38-24 win over the Chargers. Warren continues an excellent start to his career and has already solidified his status as a weekly top tight end option in fantasy. Indianapolis has arguably featured the league's best offense through the first seven weeks, and Warren leads the way for them with 439 receiving yards. The rookie should remain a focal point of the Colts' offense as they use him in advantageous spots to showcase his elite yards-after-catch ability. He'll remain a top-five option headed into Week 8 against the Titans.

From RotoBaller

Cam Skattebo Oct 20 8:30am CT
Cam Skattebo

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo had 16 carries for 60 yards along with three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 33-32 loss to the Broncos. Skattebo couldn't find a whole lot of running room against a stout Denver defense, but made up for some of it as a receiver. The rookie again maintained a firm lead in touches over Tyrone Tracy Jr., but he was more involved in this one, rushing for 46 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Skattebo should continue to operate as the Giants' lead back and preferred option near the goal line and in the passing game, which bodes well for his fantasy value moving forward in an improving Giants offense.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Addison Oct 20 8:20am CT
Jordan Addison

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison caught nine of 12 targets for 128 yards in Sunday's 28-22 loss to the Eagles. Addison was peppered with targets from quarterback Carson Wentz all game, with the 12 targets matching a career high for the 23-year-old wideout. He hasn't missed a beat since returning from his three-game suspension to begin the season, recording 18 catches for 283 yards and a touchdown on 26 targets in three games. The quarterback situation will be one to monitor for Addison moving forward, but he is talented enough to produce regardless. He's firmly in the WR2/WR3 mix moving forward.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Oct 20 5:00am CT
J.K. Dobbins

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins rushes 14 times for 81 yards while losing a yard on one catch on the day as the Broncos exploded in the fourth quarter, scoring 33 points in Sunday's 33-32 comeback win against the New York Giants. Dobbins has been able to showcase solid production for the Broncos' rushing attack despite lacking a touchdown in the past couple of weeks. Rookie running back RJ Harvey was getting more work than usual early on in the game, but Dobbins stepped in to give the Broncos some sparks as the game went on, and he would eventually out-carry Harvey 14-4 on the day. In what could be a Week 8 shootout as the Broncos face the Dallas Cowboys at home, Dobbins should continue to provide RB2 value with upside.

From RotoBaller

Jeremy McNichols Oct 20 2:03am CT
Jeremy McNichols

Washington Commanders RB Jeremy McNichols carried the ball twice for 22 yards against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. He also had two receptions for 23 yards.

From TheHuddle

Chris Moore Oct 20 2:03am CT
Chris Moore

Washington Commanders WR Chris Moore caught two passes (on five targets) for 59 yards in a Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

From TheHuddle

Brandin Cooks Oct 20 12:53am CT
Brandin Cooks

New Orleans Saints WR Brandin Cooks had one reception for three yards in a Week 7 loss to the Chicago Bears.

From TheHuddle