Happy Tuesday! That was a wild weekend, huh?
Tony Pollard popped off for three touchdowns, Joe Burrow and the Bengals might officially be back, and Omar Cooper Jr. is suddenly looking like a potential league winner.
We've got some interesting waiver pickups, a few big injuries, and plenty to sort through before Week 8.
🏈 TNF reminder: Panthers @ Packers, Thursday, October 29 at 8:15 PM ET.
Let's get into it.
Inside Today’s Roundup:
What We Learned 🧠
Waiver Wire Report 💰
Beliefs Changed 🔄
Injury Fallout 🏥
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🧠 What We Learned
Scott Barrett and Brett Whitefield break down the biggest takeaways from Week 7 - the breakouts, usage shifts, and changing beliefs that matter moving forward.
⚖️ Jaylen Warren's Big Game Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
Jaylen Warren had himself a game against New Orleans, finishing with 21 touches for 140 yards. He was easily Pittsburgh's most effective runner, but there's still one problem for fantasy: Rico Dowdle isn't going anywhere.
Dowdle put up 80+ total yards, caught all six of his targets, and handled the work inside the 10-yard line. Even though Warren had twice as many carries, Scott pointed out that the two backs essentially split the expected fantasy points (XFP) 50/50. Warren can absolutely keep producing, but when Dowdle is getting the receptions and goal-line opportunities, Warren has to make the most of his touches. It's hard to feel great about that setup every week.
✈️ Braelon Allen Is Making the Jets' Backfield Interesting
Braelon Allen is making it pretty hard for the Jets to keep him off the field. He rushed 17 times for 104 yards in Week 7 and added 6 catches for 30 yards on 7 targets. That receiving involvement was a nice surprise, considering it hasn't been a big part of his game.
Scott also thinks Allen might actually be a better fit for Frank Reich's zone-heavy rushing scheme than Breece Hall. Hall has traditionally been better on man/gap runs, while Allen looks comfortable doing what the Jets are asking their backs to do right now. Scott thinks Allen has played well enough to force a committee when Hall returns, and the possibility of a Hall trade even came up during the show. Either way, this backfield suddenly has a lot more questions than it did a few weeks ago.
📉 Nico Collins' Usage Is Becoming a Real Concern
Nico Collins finished Week 7 with just 2 catches for 6 yards against the Giants. That's bad enough on its own, but the bigger issue is that Houston hasn't been getting him the ball nearly as much lately.
His target share over the last four games has gone from 31% to 21%, 16%, and now 18%. That's not what you want to see from a receiver you drafted to be a potential top-seven option. Houston is spreading the ball around, and Collins just isn't getting the volume we expected.
Scott and Brett even discussed the possibility of Houston trading Collins before the deadline. That's just speculation for now, but a change of scenery could end up helping his fantasy value. I'm not selling low after a game like this, though. He's more of a hold, or even a buy-low target if someone in your league is getting frustrated.
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💰 Waiver Wire Report
Our team breaks down the best available options, the injury-driven opportunities worth monitoring, and how much FAAB you should actually spend.
🔥 THE PRIORITY ADDS
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, NYJ - 10-15% FAAB
Cooper is quickly becoming one of the most interesting pickups we've had all season. The rookie has topped 115 receiving yards and 22.5 fantasy points in both of his first two full NFL games, including a 5-catch, 115-yard, one-touchdown performance against Miami in Week 7.
He also played more snaps than Adonai Mitchell and handled 75% of the routes in two-WR sets, a good sign that he's already moving up the depth chart.
The Opportunity: There are still concerns about New York's crowded receiving corps and Geno Smith's ceiling, but Cooper is earning playing time and producing whenever he's on the field.
The Take: Scott and Brett both put him in S tier on the waiver show. Scott even brought up the possibility of a rookie Puka Nacua or Amon-Ra St. Brown type of impact. That's a high-end outcome, not the expectation, but it's the kind of upside worth spending on.
Jonah Coleman, RB, DEN - 12-15% FAAB
Coleman returned from IR in Week 7 and immediately led Denver's backfield with 9 carries for 54 yards, adding 2 catches for 15 yards on a 49% snap share. J.K. Dobbins played just 23% of the snaps, while RJ Harvey handled 26%. Sean Payton also said after the game that he wants to get Coleman more touches moving forward.
The Opportunity: Dobbins has struggled with efficiency, and Coleman already looks capable of taking over more early-down work. He also has some receiving ability, which gives him another path to playing time.
The Take: Scott put Coleman in A tier, but stressed that patience will be important. Denver could stick with a three-man committee through its Week 10 bye. Coleman isn't necessarily someone you can start right away, but he has a chance to become a major fantasy contributor down the stretch.
Antonio Williams, WR, WAS - Priority Upside Add | 2–4% FAAB
Terry McLaurin's season-ending injury opens up a bigger role for Williams in Washington's passing game. The rookie played 67% of the snaps in Week 6, catching 3 passes for 50 yards, and Dan Quinn specifically mentioned Williams as someone who could see more targets coming out of the bye.
The Opportunity: Washington isn't planning to significantly increase Stefon Diggs' workload, leaving Williams with a chance to establish himself as a regular contributor.
The Take: Brett remains a big believer in Williams' talent, although Scott pointed out that the production hasn't been there yet, even when he's played significant snaps. He's not a guaranteed weekly starter, but at just 8% rostered, he's a cheap upside add worth making before his role potentially grows.
👀 THE NEXT WAVE
Not every pickup needs to start right away. Here are a few more players worth adding now or stashing for later.
Jordyn Tyson, WR, NO - 2–4% FAAB: Scott placed Tyson in A tier for his second-half upside in New Orleans' pass-heavy offense. He could debut after the Week 8 bye and is worth stashing if you have the bench space.
Rachaad White, RB, WAS - 5–8% FAAB: With Jacory Croskey-Merritt on IR, White played 71% of the snaps in Week 6 and handled 5 of Washington's 6 RB targets. Scott put him in A tier as a usable RB2 while he holds the lead role.
Tre Tucker, WR, LV - 5–8% FAAB: Tucker ranks WR21 in FPG and WR22 in XFP/G, and he just drew 12 targets in Week 7. Scott placed him in A tier, and he's still available in 42% of Yahoo leagues.
Seth McGowan, RB, IND - 1% FAAB: Played 33% of the snaps and handled 11 carries in Week 7. Scott believes a Jonathan Taylor trade is possible, which could leave McGowan leading the Colts' backfield. A cheap stash with upside.
Terrance Ferguson, TE, LAR - 1% FAAB: Davante Adams' injury creates an opportunity for Ferguson to become the Rams' No. 2 receiving option when he returns from IR. He saw 9 targets and 19 XFP in his one meaningful game before getting hurt.
Brenton Strange, TE, JAX - 1–2% FAAB: Has recorded 7+ targets and 5+ catches in three straight games, with a 22.3% target share over that stretch. A solid pickup if you need immediate TE help.
Malik Willis, QB, MIA - 1–2% FAAB: Willis has scored 21.9+ FP in consecutive games, including 26.0 in Week 7, and is averaging 37.2 rushing yards per game. The waiver article views him as a low-end QB2, but Scott remains bearish on his sustainability, especially given Miami's slow pace of play.
🚫 FOOL'S GOLD
Not every interesting box score deserves a waiver claim.
Mike Washington, RB, LV: Washington has been more explosive than Ashton Jeanty, but Scott isn't convinced that translates into meaningful fantasy value. He sees Washington as a change-of-pace back who could still share work with Dylan Laube if Jeanty misses time. Scott placed him in D tier.
Tank Dell, WR, HOU: Dell returned in Week 7 and caught a deflected pass for 43 yards, but played only 23% of the snaps. Houston has a crowded receiving corps, and concerns remain about how much Dell can contribute after his major knee injury. Scott and Brett put him in F tier.
Konata Mumpfield, WR, LAR: Adams' injury creates an opening, but Mumpfield managed just 1 catch for 15 yards on 2 targets in Week 7. There's no guarantee he'll become the Rams' next productive receiver, especially with their tight ends taking on larger roles. The waiver show settled on D tier.
Justin Herbert, QB, LAC: Herbert is available in more than half of Yahoo leagues, but Scott and Brett aren't interested. He's yet to deliver a useful fantasy performance this season, and the Chargers' offensive line and receiving injuries remain major problems. Both put him in F tier and would rather stream the position.
📌 THE TAKEAWAY
Cooper and Coleman are the two players worth spending on this week, but for different reasons. Cooper has already shown the production and carries legitimate league-winning upside if his role continues to grow. Coleman is more of a patience play, with a chance to take over Denver's backfield later in the season.
If you miss out on both, focus on players whose situations could change significantly over the next few weeks. McGowan could benefit from a trade, Ferguson has an opening in Los Angeles, and Tyson still has plenty of upside once he gets on the field.
Read the full Week 8 Waiver Wire Report for our team’s breakdown of every player who could matter this week and what you should spend.
🔄 Beliefs Changed
Week 7 forced Scott Barrett and Brett Whitefield to reconsider a few takes they entered the weekend believing. Here are the biggest changes:
Malik Nabers // Mitchell Leff, Getty Images
🎃 Bryce Young - Was the Breakout a Mirage?
Just when it looked like Bryce Young had finally figured things out, Week 7 gave us a reminder of why there were so many doubts in the first place. Carolina got blown out 43-13 by Tampa Bay, and Young took five sacks and committed three turnovers. Scott has been skeptical of his breakout all season, and even Brett admitted Young was falling back into some old habits, especially under pressure.
The bigger concern for fantasy is the passing volume. Young had been putting up numbers because Carolina was letting him throw a ton, but that volume disappeared even with the Panthers down 30 points. If he can't count on those attempts, it's hard to trust the production we saw earlier this season.
👑 Malik Nabers vs. Justin Jefferson - Is There a New WR Hierarchy?
Malik Nabers just posted his fourth straight 100-yard game, and he's doing it with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. That led Brett to double down on something he's been saying: Nabers is a better receiver than Justin Jefferson right now. Scott agreed.
Brett thinks Jefferson hasn't looked quite the same since last season, particularly with his route running and explosiveness. And it's getting harder to blame the quarterback situation when Nabers is thriving with McCarthy, who couldn't consistently get Jefferson going in Minnesota. That doesn't automatically make Nabers the better fantasy pick, but as far as pure receiver talent goes, Scott and Brett think the conversation has shifted.
💰 Ja'Marr Chase - A Surprising Buy-Low Opportunity?
Here's a stat I didn't expect: Tee Higgins has topped 95 receiving yards in four of his last five games. Ja'Marr Chase hasn't done it once this season. Scott even raised the question of whether Higgins is Cincinnati's better receiver right now.
Brett thinks Chase's injuries explain a lot of the difference. Chase relies so much on his explosiveness and acceleration, while Higgins can still win with his route running and body control when he's banged up. Chase might be someone to avoid in DFS for now, but in season-long leagues, this could actually be a chance to buy low if you believe he'll get healthy and look like himself again.
Listen to the full Week 7 recap for more on which players are rising and falling in their evaluations.
Injury Fallout
Jeff Mueller breaks down every notable situation in this week’s Injury Report, but these are the ones with the biggest fantasy fallout heading into Week 8.
Lamar Jackson // Logan Bowles, Getty Images
Lamar Jackson, QB - Left High Ankle Sprain. Jackson missed Week 7 and admitted he's still experiencing pain when cutting or sprinting at full speed. Mueller is skeptical those symptoms will completely resolve in one week, though a Week 8 return remains possible depending on how practice goes.
Fallout: Baltimore's passing game remains in limbo until Jackson returns. His mobility could also be limited if he comes back before the ankle is fully healed, making his practice participation especially important this week.
Projected Return: Week 8-9
Aaron Jones, RB - Left Knee. Jones aggravated his left MCL for the third time this season, and Mueller expects this setback could cost him multiple weeks. With Jordan Mason returning from his own injury, Minnesota has less reason to rush Jones back.
Fallout: Mason could take over the Vikings' lead-back duties while Jones recovers, making him a priority pickup wherever he's available. Jones managers should prepare to be without him for at least a couple of weeks.
Projected Return: Week 10-12
Jaylen Waddle, WR - Chest/Left Shoulder. Waddle aggravated a previous injury and exited Week 7 early. Mueller is concerned about several possible injuries, including an AC joint aggravation or damage involving his shoulder, clavicle, or ribs. With Denver's bye coming in Week 10, Waddle could miss the next two games.
Fallout: Denver's remaining receivers could see more opportunities if Waddle misses time, though the Broncos' struggling passing game makes it difficult to trust any immediate replacement.
Projected Return: Week 9-11
Jaylin Noel, WR - Turf Toe. Noel suffered a turf toe injury in Week 7 and was spotted wearing a walking boot afterward. Mueller expects him to miss another two to three weeks beyond Houston's Week 8 bye.
Fallout: Noel had been emerging as a productive piece of Houston's passing game, so his absence could open up more opportunities for Nico Collins and the Texans' other receivers. Noel managers should plan for a multi-week absence rather than expecting him back immediately after the bye.
Projected Return: Week 10-12
Tyrone Tracy and Cam Skattebo, RBs - Hamstring. Both Giants backs suffered hamstring strains in Week 7, although each was seen celebrating with teammates after the game. Mueller doesn't believe either injury is particularly serious, and New York's Week 8 bye gives both players extra recovery time.
Fallout: The Giants' backfield is worth monitoring heading into Week 9. With both backs injured and their roles already unsettled, practice reports after the bye should help clarify who will be available and how the touches might be divided.
Projected Return: Week 9-10 for both
Read the full article to be up to date on every injury that happened in Week 7.
Best of luck out there…hope the waiver wire treats you well.
See you this weekend 🤝
- Sean
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