| | | | Thursday, October 22, 2020 | | We'll start today's newsletter with yesterday's hottest news item: Antonio Brown has several teams interested in signing him, most notably the Seahawks. ESPN reported that yesterday afternoon, with Brown eligible to return from his suspension following Week 8, he could be back on an NFL roster within the next few weeks. Get excited, right? | | Maybe, but probably not. Brown was one of the best receivers of the past decade, sure, and had 56 yards and a touchdown in his lone game in 2019, despite signing with the Patriots less than a week before the game. If NFL teams have interest, shouldn't Fantasy players? | | That's all true, but it's also true that Brown is a 32-year-old who has played one game since 2018 because he was such a problem for teams — first forcing a trade from the Steelers, then the Raiders before being released by the Patriots after that one game. Brown was suspended for the first eight weeks of this season for multiple violations of the league's personal conduct policy and is still being investigated by the NFL for a lawsuit Brown sexually assaulted his former athletic trainer, per ESPN, which could lead to further discipline. | | Which is all to say, he may not be worth the trouble, for an NFL team or your Fantasy team. If you have a roster spot to play with, maybe Brown is worth a speculative add, primarily as a trade chip. There are better ways to spend your time as a Fantasy player than a long-shot on Brown, though. Go make a few buy-low offers to your struggling league mates, or consider adding someone like Tevin Coleman or Dallas Goedert who could make an impact when they return from IR. Or, just keep your nose to the ground and focus on getting that Week 7 win. That's what we're focusing on today, after all. | | Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em column is here for you to dive into, and we've got more where that came from in today's newsletter. Dave Richard's Starts and Sits, Sleepers and Risks column goes through every game to identify who to rely on and who to avoid, and we've got updates on all of the injuries you need to know about for Week 7, plus your questions in another #AskFFT Mailbag — send your questions to Chris.Towers@CBSinteractive.com to be included — and a preview of Thursday night's game between the Eagles and Giants, including some fun player props to consider if you don't have anyone playing. | | And here's everything else you need to get ready for Week 7: Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | Starts and Sits, Sleepers and Risks | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: QB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: RB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: WR | Waiver Wire | Biggest Questions | Trade Values Chart | Cut List | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | | | | Dave Richard's Starts and Sits | | | | Three guys Dave likes for Week 7: J.D. McKissic, Devin Singletary and Brandin Cooks | | McKissic has been a solid PPR option over the past three games, and Kyle Allen's ascension to the starting gig doesn't seem to have changed anything. It's a somewhat low-upside profile, but Dave likes him more than he likes Antonio Gibson this week. And Singletary gets the Jets, so we are contractually obligated to recommend him as a starter even if he's been a bit disappointing so far this season. The Bills didn't do much against the Jets in the running game last time, but with Josh Allen falling on some hard times, this could be a return to the 2019 game plan in an easy win. | | Three guys Dave doesn't like for Week 7: Jerick McKinnon, Tom Brady and Boston Scott | | Dave and I are on separate sides of the Scott discussion – you can see why I like him in the Thursday Night Football preview further down — but I'm with him on having misgivings about McKinnon. I thought McKinnon had pretty well answered the question of whether he could handle a bigger role when he played 67 snaps in Week 4, but he played just 23 in Week 6 despite Raheem Mostert leaving, and it was Jamycal Hasty out there icing the game late. Given the tough matchup against the Patriots and the sudden uncertainty surrounding his role and usage, McKinnon isn't the slam dunk start you would've thought a few weeks ago. | | | | Week 7 Injury Updates | | | | Keeping up with injuries has been a key part of playing Fantasy football this season, but it's a lot easier when someone else does it for you. Here are the injury updates you need to know about after the first day of practice for Week 7 around the league: | | QB Injuries | | Baker Mayfield (chest) — Mayfield played through this injury last week, but was benched in the second half after struggling. Even if he plays, which seems likely yet again, you can't rely on Mayfield even in a good matchup against the Bengals. Sam Darnold (shoulder) — Darnold returned on a limited basis for the first time since suffering his shoulder injury. The key now is to see how he responds to that first activity, but it still feels like a bit of a long shot for him to return in Week 7. | | RB Injuries | | Joe Mixon (foot) — We got no Mixon updates Monday or Tuesday, and now he missed the first day of practice, so you definitely need to have Giovani Bernard in case Mixon is forced to sit. It seems like a real possibility now. Kareem Hunt (ribs) — Hunt also dealt with a groin injury a few weeks ago, and admitted Wednesday he hasn't been playing at 100%. Still, it sounds like he intends to play, so you're starting him. Jeff Wilson (calf) — Limited at practice. With Raheem Mostert expected to sit, Wilson could be in line for a healthy role if he plays, or Jamycal Hasty could split work with Jerick McKinnon. Justin Jackson (knee) — Limited at practice, but the fact that this is the first we're hearing about it coming off a bye week isn't a great sign. We'll definitely watch this the next few days. Leonard Fournette (ankle) — Full participant in practice, a good sign that he'll be back in Week 7. Given how well Ronald Jones has run in Fournette's absence, it's going to be fascinating to see what role Fournette returns to. You can't start him right now, though. Devine Ozigbo (hamstring) — Ozigbo was expected to have a role alongside James Robinson before his injury landed him on IR, so it will be interesting to see what kind of role he has, if any. | | WR Injuries | | Michael Thomas (ankle/hamstring) — Uh oh. Thomas was limited at practice, and the hamstring is a new one. He was expected to return from the ankle injury in Week 5 before being held out for disciplinary reasons, so this is probably because of the hamstring. We'll definitely have to watch this one over the next few days. Julio Jones (hamstring) — Did not practice, but this is probably just a precaution. Calvin Ridley (elbow) — Limited at practice with a new injury, but the fact that he was limited seems like a good sign for his chances of playing. We'll monitor throughout the week, but don't worry just yet. DeAndre Hopkins (ankle) — Did not practice, but it's not clear whether this is something to worry about. Hopkins has routinely received days off from practice, and played 95% of the team's snaps and had seven catches on nine targets in Week 4 despite missing the whole week with an ankle injury, so this isn't something to be concerned about yet. Keenan Allen (back) — Limited at practice. Coming off a bye, you'd prefer to see Allen get a full practice in, so we'll be watching Thursday and Friday. Diontae Johnson (back) — Johnson was a full participant in practice, a great sign after he missed Week 6. Expect him back in the lineup. JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) did not practice, but that isn't unusual these days. If you're sitting Smith-Schuster — and you probably should be — it's not because of an injury. Jamison Crowder (groin) — This is a new injury, but Crowder was limited Wednesday, so hopefully it isn't much of a concern. John Brown (knee) — Did not practice Wednesday, after coach Sean McDermott admitted he wasn't fully healthy when he played in Week 6. Don't be surprised if Brown sits one out to try to get right. Sammy Watkins (hamstring) — Did not practice Wednesday, seems like a long shot for Week 7. Marvin Jones (knee) — This seems to be a new injury for Jones, who did not practice Wednesday. You probably shouldn't be relying on him anyway, but it could mean a bigger passing game role for T.J. Hockenson and D'Andre Swift. D.J. Chark (ankle)/Laviska Shenault (hamstring) — Both were limited, but both have also played through this designation and should continue to do so. Mike Evans (ankle)/Chris Godwin (hamstring) — Both were limited Wednesday, and both seem like they aren't quite 100%, based on recent public comments. You're probably still starting them, but it isn't as much of a slam dunk as it used to seem like. Bryan Edwards (ankle/foot) — Did not practice, seems like he's not close yet. | | TE Injuries | | Jonnu Smith (ankle) — Smith was limited at practice, which qualifies as good news, all things considered. He's not out of the woods yet, but Smith looks like he at least has a chance to play this week against the Steelers. Noah Fant (ankle) — Limited at practice, which is progress. It wouldn't be a surprise if Fant was out yet again this week, but we'll still want to keep an eye on him. Logan Thomas (neck) — Did not practice. Thomas is a viable weekly streamer if he plays against the Cowboys and one of the few decent weapons in this passing game, so this would be a loss. Jordan Akins (ankle/concussion) — Did not practice. Seems like it's another Darren Fells week against a great matchup. Rob Gronkowski (shoulder) — This seems like it was more a veteran rest day than anything. Gronkowski has been playing through this injury for weeks. | | | | #AskFFT Mailbag | | We're all about answering your questions here at the Fantasy Football Today HQ, and you can go to Twitter and use "#AskFFT" to send them our way — maybe Dave, Heath or Jamey will send out a response or we'll use your question in an episode of the show for some discussion. You can also join the Fantasy Football Today Twitch stream Thursday at 4 p.m. for our weekly, two-hour Start and Sit show with myself, Adam Aizer, Frank Stampfl. We'll be there for two hours to help get your lineup set for Week 7. | | Here are five of your questions, answered. As always, Chris.Towers@CBSInteractive.com is the email, and use "#AskFFT" in the subject line to make sure I see it: | | Michael: I have given up on JuJu Smith-Schuster and will drop him for Mike Williams or Tee Higgins. Do you agree? | | If it's the kind of league where Mike Williams and Tee Higgins are still available, I think it's probably an OK move. I'm afraid to give up on Smith-Schuster, because I still fully believe in the talent, but Pittsburgh just hasn't treated him as even a No. 2 WR for most of the season. Williams would be my preference, for the Week 7 matchup against Jacksonville as well as his season-long upside. I love Williams. | | George: I just traded away Tyler Lockett for Mike Evans. Is that a bad trade? | | You subscribe to this newsletter, so you have to know that I'm pretty anti-Evans these days. Again, I don't doubt the talent, I just don't like the situation at all. The Buccaneers are predictably airing it out less with Tom Brady — down from 405 intended air yards per game in 2019 to 314 this season — and he's spreading the ball around more. That's led to fewer, less-valuable targets for Evans. Lockett is actually a buy-low target for me, so I think this one's an L for you. Sorry. | | Charles: Start: James Robinson vs LAC or Boston Scott vs NYG? Carson Wentz vs NYG or Teddy Bridgewater vs NO? | | I'm going with Robinson and Wentz in this one, but I'm more confident about the QB side of things. I'm a little bit worried Robinson might be turning back into a pumpkin — fewer than 50 rush yards in three of the past five — but his passing game role isn't in doubt, while Scott is more of a question mark. The only thing that gives me pause is that Scott might be more likely to find the end zone in his game. | | Steve: I have to bench one from Allen Robinson, A.J. Brown, Kenyan Drake, and TravisFulgham. | | You're starting Brown and Robinson, so it comes down to Drake and Fulgham. I like Fulgham a lot this week — more about him in the Thursday Night Football preview below! — but I don't know if I can pass on Drake's workload. As disappointing as he was before Week 6's breakout, he had 18 or more touches in all but one game. There's always the chance the Seahawks offense pulls away quickly enough that Drake gets phased out for Chase Edmonds, but I would bet on the Cardinals trying to establish the run early to limit Russell Wilson's opportunities. | | Robert: Do I start Clyde Edwards-Helaire or David Johnson this week? | | You're worried about Le'Veon Bell's debut; I get it. He's a big name, and the Chiefs didn't bring him in to ride the bench. But Edwards-Helaire gave you 161 reasons to believe in him last week. He may lose work in the passing game to Bell, but it's not like Johnson is getting much either — 3.3 targets per game despite running the second-most routes of any running back. | | TNF Preview: Giants at Eagles | | | | All lines from William Hill Sportsbook. | | Line: PHI -4.5; 45.0 o/u Implied totals: Eagles 24.75, Giants 20.25 | | As bad as the Eagles have been this season, the Giants have been even worse, sporting a -51 point different compared to Philadelphia's -34 — tops in the NFC East, incredibly. The Giants best hope is to try to beat the Eagles up front, but that's hardly an area of strength, and their offense is likely to put them in too many bad situations to win. Carson Wentz is a viable starter, as is Boston Scott, but Travis Fulgham is the best option for the Eagles. On the Giants side ... it's not pretty. Devonta Freeman and Darius Slayton are more like desperation plays, given how this offense has played so far. Evan Engram is a weekly frustration, but you probably don't have an option with a better forecast. | | Key injuries | | Zach Ertz (ankle) — Out, may be placed on IR ... Miles Sanders (knee) — Out, could miss another game after this one ... Alshon Jeffery (foot/calf) — Out, calf is a new injury, not sure about timetable as a result ... DeSean Jackson (hamstring) — Expected to make his return, but is just a low-end dart throw until we see his role ... Darius Slayton (foot) — Questionable after being limited throughout the week, but is expected to play. He's been playing through this injury, but is just a low-end option at WR … Sterling Shepard (toe) — Eligible to return from IR, but not clear if he'll be cleared to play. There's no need to start him until he proves he's worth it. | | What to watch for | | Will the Eagles still make a priority of targeting Travis Fulgham? The bet here is they will, even with DeSean Jackson back; the absence of Ertz (and Dallas Goedert!) should keep him plenty involved. Does Boston Scott see more of a 2019 workload? He was targeted 25 times in his final four games, including two with Sanders active where he still saw 13. However, he had just nine carries and two targets in his start for Sanders in Week 1. If Shepard returns, does he take on a significant role? Golden Tate has been a non-factor, Slayton is a good deep threat, but he's inconsistent, and Evan Engram has mostly just been a shallow depth target. In theory, a healthy Shepard is the most complete receiver here. | | Notable player props | | Daniel Jones, 0.5 interceptions — Over. He's done it five times in six games this season and 12 times in 19 games overall in his career, so this seems like a pretty safe bet. The Eagles have just two interceptions on the season, so that might explain why this is set at just 0.5 despite Jones' history. I have less faith in Jones and this Giants offense than in the Eagles defense. Boston Scott, 20.5 receiving yards — Over. Scott was targeted four times despite playing fewer than half the snaps last week, so I'm going to chalk up his two-target Week 1 to the weird circumstances of that game — the Eagles were getting so dominated along the line that they couldn't really do anything they wanted on offense. The track record of Scott's involvement in the passing game otherwise is clear. Expect five to six targets for Scott in this one, at minimum, making 20.5 a pretty easy goal. Travis Fulgham, 4.5 receptions — Over. Ten two weeks ago, six last week, with 23 targets across the two games. Fulgham is, I think, without question the Eagles top target with Ertz down, and I'm expecting another strong performance. He's a solid No. 2 WR. | | | | | | | | 24/7 Sports News | | UEFA Europa League | Want your sports news and highlights straight without the noise? 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