This article is part of our Weekly Rankings series.
***BYE WEEKS - Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. First posted Tuesday, 10/14. Sunday Update Complete.***
Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: three points for a passing touchdown; six points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; one point for every 20 passing yards; and one point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards. Flex Rankings are for PPR leagues.
Typically, this article will be posted on Tuesday evenings, roughly around 8:00 pm PT. ***These are not draft rankings. They are solely for the given week of the season.***
I will update these during the week, usually twice per week to account for injury or other news during practice. The timing of those updates will vary based on the news at hand and my schedule for the given week. But the first of those updates usually won't happen until Thursday. At any rate, I will post a "last updated" note at the top of the article, or an "update in progress" note if it's while I'm doing it.
By all means, if you want to discuss a rank, or want me to add a player, chime in on the comments. I try to be receptive to your feedback and try to respond to most comments, though on occasion the volume can be quite thick. Please refer to the rankings first when asking "should I start Player A vs. Player B?".
***BYE WEEKS - Philadelphia
***BYE WEEKS - Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. First posted Tuesday, 10/14. Sunday Update Complete.***
Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: three points for a passing touchdown; six points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; one point for every 20 passing yards; and one point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards. Flex Rankings are for PPR leagues.
Typically, this article will be posted on Tuesday evenings, roughly around 8:00 pm PT. ***These are not draft rankings. They are solely for the given week of the season.***
I will update these during the week, usually twice per week to account for injury or other news during practice. The timing of those updates will vary based on the news at hand and my schedule for the given week. But the first of those updates usually won't happen until Thursday. At any rate, I will post a "last updated" note at the top of the article, or an "update in progress" note if it's while I'm doing it.
By all means, if you want to discuss a rank, or want me to add a player, chime in on the comments. I try to be receptive to your feedback and try to respond to most comments, though on occasion the volume can be quite thick. Please refer to the rankings first when asking "should I start Player A vs. Player B?".
***BYE WEEKS - Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. First posted Tuesday, 10/14. Sunday Update Complete.***
Quarterback
| 1. | Aaron Rodgers GB vs. Car |
| 2. | Peyton Manning DEN vs. SF |
| 3. | Andrew Luck IND vs. Cin |
| 4. | Philip Rivers SD vs. KC |
| 5. | Jay Cutler CHI vs. Mia |
| 6. | Joe Flacco BAL vs. Atl |
| 7. | Cam Newton CAR at GB |
| 8. | Russell Wilson SEA at StL |
| 9. | *Tony Romo DAL vs. NYG Note: Took a hard hit to his torso early in the win over the Seahawks and will have his rib cartilage examined this week. (Back/Ankle) Missed practice Wednesday, full participant in Thursday's practice. |
| 10. | *Tom Brady NE vs. NYJ Note: Dealing with a sore ankle, but there's very little doubt that he'll play Thursday night, though he was limited in Tuesday's practice. |
| 11. | *Carson Palmer ARZ at Oak Note: Palmer should be a full go in practice this week after playing Week 6 without any setbacks. Limited practice Wednesday. ***Full practice Friday, listed as probable.*** |
| 12. | Matthew Stafford DET vs. NO |
| 13. | Drew Brees NO at Det |
| 14. | Matt Ryan ATL at Bal Note: The Falcons' offensive line has really struggled the last three weeks since losing starting center Joe Hawley for the season, as well as two other starters during Week 4 and Sam Baker in the preseason. |
| 15. | Brian Hoyer CLE at Jax |
| 16. | Colin Kaepernick SF at Den |
| 17. | *Ryan Tannehill MIA at Chi Note: (Ankle) Limited on Wednesday, full practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 18. | *Derek Carr OAK vs. Ari Note: I was really impressed with Carr's outing against the Chargers - the late interception was a killer, but understandable given the circumstances. (Knee, ankle) Limited practice Wednesday, but a full practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 19. | Ben Roethlisberger PIT vs. Hou |
| 20. | Andy Dalton CIN at Ind |
| 21. | Eli Manning NYG at Dal Note: The offensive line fell apart for Manning on Sunday night, and he lost Victor Cruz for the season to boot. |
| 22. | Kyle Orton BUF vs. Min |
| 23. | Alex Smith KC at SD |
| 24. | *Kirk Cousins WAS vs. Ten Note: Will ultimately give the job back to RGIII, though not likely this week. |
| 25. | *Charlie Whitehurst TEN at Was Note: ***Whitehurst took the majority of snaps in practice Friday, and Locker is listed as questionable.*** |
| 26. | Ryan Fitzpatrick HOU at Pit |
| 27. | Blake Bortles JAC vs. Cle |
| 28. | Geno Smith NYJ at NE Note: Smith will start again Thursday night against the Patriots. |
| 29. | Teddy Bridgewater MIN at Buf Note: The Minnesota offensive line was a disaster Sunday against the Lions - Bridgewater was pressured on more than half his passes and sacked eight times. |
| 30. | Austin Davis STL vs. Sea Note: Got shut down in the second half, and now an angry Seahawks team comes to town. |
| 31. | *Jake Locker TEN at Was Note: (Thumb) Locker's status for Week 7 currently is unclear. We probably won't know for sure until Friday. Limited practice Thursday, Whitehurst took almost all of the first-team snaps. ***Limited practice Friday, listed as questionable.*** |
| 32. | *Robert Griffin WAS vs. Ten Note: (Ankle) Limited in Wednesday's practice. Probably won't be playing this week, but when he's cleared to play he'll be the starter again. |
Running Backs
| 1. | *DeMarco Murray DAL vs. NYG Note: (Illness) Held out Wednesday, but came back for a full practice Thursday. |
| 2. | *Arian Foster HOU at Pit Note: (Groin) Limited in Thursday's practice. ***Full practice Friday and Saturday, listed as probable.*** |
| 3. | Le'Veon Bell PIT vs. Hou Note: It's hard to believe that he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1, but he's still piling on the yards each week. |
| 4. | Jamaal Charles KC at SD |
| 5. | Marshawn Lynch SEA at StL |
| 6. | Matt Forte CHI vs. Mia |
| 7. | *Giovani Bernard CIN at Ind Note: Injured his shoulder against the Panthers but later returned to the game. Not on the initial injury report. |
| 8. | Justin Forsett BAL vs. Atl |
| 9. | *Lamar Miller MIA at Chi Note: Sat out practice Tuesday to rest his foot. With Moreno out for the season, the job is essentially all his, unless the Dolphins want to break in Damien Williams more. Limited again in Thursday's practice. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 10. | *Andre Ellington ARZ at Oak Note: (Foot) Limited in both Wednesday and Thursday's practices. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 11. | Alfred Morris WAS vs. Ten |
| 12. | Ahmad Bradshaw IND vs. Cin |
| 13. | Ben Tate CLE at Jax |
| 14. | Eddie Lacy GB vs. Car |
| 15. | Frank Gore SF at Den |
| 16. | *Ronnie Hillman DEN vs. SF Note: Got most of the carries and ended up with 100 yards rushing. However he fumbled once and failed to convert two goal line carries. |
| 17. | Branden Oliver SD vs. KC Note: Is it really a guarantee that Mathews takes back the full-time job once he returns? Why can't it be a timeshare between he and Oliver? |
| 18. | Fred Jackson BUF vs. Min |
| 19. | Shane Vereen NE vs. NYJ Note: Vereen will likely share carries with Bolden and White with Ridley out for the season, rather than assuming a workhorse role. I think that this is similar to the Saints' set-up at running back when Ingram went down. |
| 20. | Steven Jackson ATL at Bal |
| 21. | *Jerick McKinnon MIN at Buf Note: McKinnon was a surprise starter last week ahead of Asiata and could be the primary ballcarrier moving forward. |
| 22. | Chris Ivory NYJ at NE |
| 23. | *Jonathan Stewart CAR at GB Note: (Knee) Could have a full practice Wednesday. Has returned to practice, meanhile Whittaker and Reaves did not practice Thursday. ***Expected to start this week.*** |
| 24. | Joique Bell DET vs. NO |
| 25. | *Reggie Bush DET vs. NO Note: (Ankle) Inactive last week, but '100 percent' believes that he will play in Week 7. Limited participant both Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 26. | Darren McFadden OAK vs. Ari |
| 27. | Andre Williams NYG at Dal Note: Evenly split carries with Peyton Hillis last week - it's pretty clear that the Giants (i.e. Tom Coughlin) don't trust him on passing downs. Once the Giants fell far behind, virtually every down was a passing down. |
| 28. | *Mark Ingram NO at Det Note: (Hand) Full practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 29. | Bishop Sankey TEN at Was Note: Sankey was a pretty big disappointment given the 18 carries - and seeing Jackie Battle get the one-yard touchdown run was aggravating. ***No Shonn Greene again this week, so once again Sankey could win the carries battle, but lose the goal line war to Battle.*** |
| 30. | Jeremy Hill CIN at Ind |
| 31. | *Pierre Thomas NO at Det Note: (Illness) Did not practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 32. | Trent Richardson IND vs. Cin |
| 33. | *Storm Johnson JAC vs. Cle Note: ***Gerhart out again, but Johnson could share first and second round carries with Denard Robinson and cede third down reps to Jordan Todman.*** |
| 34. | Khiry Robinson NO at Det |
| 35. | Antone Smith ATL at Bal |
| 36. | C.J. Spiller BUF vs. Min Note: It's pretty hard to justify a Spiller start right now - just six carries last week, and Fred Jackson gets more passing downs work than him. |
| 37. | *Zac Stacy STL vs. Sea Note: (Calf) Had just eight carries against seven for Cunningham on Monday night, with Tre Mason also being part of the gameplan. (Ankle) Did not practice Wednesday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 38. | *Brandon Bolden NE vs. NYJ Note: Had more carries than Vereen last week. I think that who gets the most carries in a given week isn't going to be like a traditional hierarchy but more based on matchups. |
| 39. | *Isaiah Crowell CLE at Jax Note: Finally some definition in the Browns' backfield with West inactive last week. Crowell ran great (11-for-77 with a touchdown), but also put the ball on the ground twice, losing one. |
| 40. | *Matt Asiata MIN at Buf Note: (Groin) Was limited to two carries and was a late backup to McKinnon. |
| 41. | Chris Johnson NYJ at NE |
| 42. | Dexter McCluster TEN at Was |
| 43. | Roy Helu WAS vs. Ten |
| 44. | Benny Cunningham STL vs. Sea |
| 45. | LeGarrette Blount PIT vs. Hou |
| 46. | Carlos Hyde SF at Den |
| 47. | Bernard Pierce BAL vs. Atl |
| 48. | *Juwan Thompson DEN vs. SF Note: Looked pretty good running the ball - eight carries for 38 yards. Hillman got the goal line carries though - but didn't convert. That role could change hands down the road. (Knee) Sat out Wednesday, returned to practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 49. | *Joseph Randle DAL vs. NYG Note: Arrested for shoplifting cologne and underwear at Dillards on Monday night. Must have had something to celebrate, albeit in a hurry. |
| 50. | James Starks GB vs. Car |
| 51. | Tre Mason STL vs. Sea Note: Active for the first time this season Monday night, ran for 40 yards on five carries - we now have a three-headed monster in St. Louis, with Tavon Austin also stealing carries. |
| 52. | Knile Davis KC at SD |
| 53. | Maurice Jones-Drew OAK vs. Ari |
| 54. | Damien Williams MIA at Chi |
| 55. | Denard Robinson JAC vs. Cle |
| 56. | *Darrin Reaves CAR at GB Note: (Thigh) Did not practice Thursday. ***Listed as questionable.*** |
| 57. | *Peyton Hillis NYG at Dal Note: Got half the snaps Sunday night against the Eagles - the Giants trust him more on passing downs. |
| 58. | Jacquizz Rodgers ATL at Bal |
| 59. | Alfred Blue HOU at Pit |
| 60. | *James White NE vs. NYJ Note: White was inactive last week, but with Ridley out for the season, he'll likely be active and part of the Pats' gameplan, though he might not get much work this week with the Pats having the short week. |
| 61. | Ka'Deem Carey CHI vs. Mia |
| 62. | Lance Dunbar DAL vs. NYG |
| 63. | George Winn DET vs. NO |
| 64. | Jordan Todman JAC vs. Cle |
| 65. | Devonta Freeman ATL at Bal |
| 66. | Robert Turbin SEA at StL |
| 67. | Daniel Thomas MIA at Chi |
| 68. | Lorenzo Taliaferro BAL vs. Atl Note: Relegated to third string last week for the Ravens. |
| 69. | De'Anthony Thomas KC at SD |
| 70. | *Terrance West CLE at Jax Note: Late inactive last week - not due to any health reasons. ***Should be active this week, but his role is undetermined.*** |
| 71. | *C.J. Anderson DEN vs. SF Note: No carries or targets against the Jets - third string behind Thompson. |
| 72. | Chris Ogbonnaya CAR at GB |
| 73. | Stepfan Taylor ARZ at Oak |
| 74. | *Jackie Battle TEN at Was Note: ***Could get goal line carries again this week with Greene out.*** |
| 75. | Jonathan Grimes HOU at Pit |
| 76. | Latavius Murray OAK vs. Ari |
| 77. | Ronnie Brown SD vs. KC |
| 78. | Travaris Cadet NO at Det |
| 79. | *Fozzy Whittaker CAR at GB Note: Injured his leg in the tie against the Bengals. (Quad) Did not practice Thursday. ***Ruled out for this week.*** |
| 80. | *Shonn Greene TEN at Was Note: (Hamstring) Not practicing yet this week, hopes to return to practice next week. ***Ruled out this week.*** |
| 81. | *Theo Riddick DET vs. NO Note: Looked great in the passing game against Minnesota, but then aggravated his hamstring injury and was forced to leave. Didn't practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as doubtful.*** |
| 82. | *Donald Brown SD vs. KC Note: (Concussion) Did not practice Thursday. ***Out again this week.*** |
| 83. | *Toby Gerhart JAC vs. Cle Note: (Foot) Held out last week, will be re-evaluated on Wednesday. Still not practicing yet. ***Out again this week.*** |
| 84. | *DeAngelo Williams CAR at GB Note: (Ankle) A couple of weeks away from returning. |
| 85. | *Stevan Ridley NE vs. NYJ Note: Torn ACL and MCL, out for the season. |
| 86. | *Knowshon Moreno MIA at Chi Note: Out for the season with a torn ACL - already placed on IR by the Dolphins. |
Wide Receivers
| 1. | Demaryius Thomas DEN vs. SF |
| 2. | Antonio Brown PIT vs. Hou |
| 3. | Dez Bryant DAL vs. NYG |
| 4. | Alshon Jeffery CHI vs. Mia |
| 5. | Jordy Nelson GB vs. Car |
| 6. | *Julio Jones ATL at Bal Note: Dealing with a sore ankle - the current expectation is that he will still play against Baltimore, though he may miss some practice time. Limited practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 7. | Randall Cobb GB vs. Car |
| 8. | Julian Edelman NE vs. NYJ |
| 9. | Brandon Marshall CHI vs. Mia |
| 10. | Steve Smith BAL vs. Atl |
| 11. | Golden Tate DET vs. NO |
| 12. | DeSean Jackson WAS vs. Ten |
| 13. | *Rueben Randle NYG at Dal Note: Randle will become the Giants' top wide receiver with Victor Cruz out for the season. Look for him to get tons of red zone targets. |
| 14. | Larry Fitzgerald ARZ at Oak |
| 15. | Mohamed Sanu CIN at Ind |
| 16. | T.Y. Hilton IND vs. Cin |
| 17. | Mike Wallace MIA at Chi |
| 18. | *Andre Johnson HOU at Pit Note: (Ankle) Limited practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 19. | Brandon LaFell NE vs. NYJ |
| 20. | Emmanuel Sanders DEN vs. SF |
| 21. | *DeAndre Hopkins HOU at Pit Note: ***(Hand) Listed as probable.*** |
| 22. | Reggie Wayne IND vs. Cin |
| 23. | Terrance Williams DAL vs. NYG |
| 24. | Brandin Cooks NO at Det |
| 25. | Andre Holmes OAK vs. Ari |
| 26. | *Kelvin Benjamin CAR at GB Note: (Concussion) Held out of practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Benjamin has been cleared to play, but check back before game time to be sure.*** |
| 27. | Justin Hunter TEN at Was |
| 28. | Cecil Shorts JAC vs. Cle |
| 29. | Pierre Garcon WAS vs. Ten |
| 30. | *Michael Floyd ARZ at Oak Note: (Groin) Limited Wednesday, full practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 31. | Odell Beckham NYG at Dal Note: Beckham played 56 of 64 snaps last week, and that sort of workload is likely to continue with Victor Cruz out for the year. |
| 32. | *Marques Colston NO at Det Note: Could get more targets if Jimmy Graham can't play. |
| 33. | *Eric Decker NYJ at NE Note: (Hamstring) Limited in Tuesday's practice, but made it through Week 6 against the Broncos and had six catches on 10 targets with a touchdown. Listed as probable. |
| 34. | Sammy Watkins BUF vs. Min |
| 35. | Kendall Wright TEN at Was |
| 36. | Brian Quick STL vs. Sea |
| 37. | *Malcom Floyd SD vs. KC Note: Calf injury wasn't an issue against the Raiders. |
| 38. | *Keenan Allen SD vs. KC Note: Dealt with a quad injury last week during practice, but played last week. With Eddie Royal dealing with a rib injury, it's possible that Allen could get more targets this week. |
| 39. | Torrey Smith BAL vs. Atl |
| 40. | Davante Adams GB vs. Car |
| 41. | *Doug Baldwin SEA at StL Note: ***More targets after the Harvin trade?*** |
| 42. | *Jermaine Kearse SEA at StL Note: ***More targets after the Harvin trade?*** |
| 43. | *Wes Welker DEN vs. SF Note: Welker had just one target in the win over the Jets. I thought that he would be more involved after his return from the suspension, but between Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, there hasn't been much left for him. |
| 44. | Dwayne Bowe KC at SD |
| 45. | Andrew Hawkins CLE at Jax Note: Surprisingly had only two targets in the win over Pittsburgh, but then again the Browns didn't need to throw the ball often after building a big lead over the Steelers. |
| 46. | James Jones OAK vs. Ari |
| 47. | Markus Wheaton PIT vs. Hou |
| 48. | *Roddy White ATL at Bal Note: Shaken up twice on big hits by the Bears, though he remained in the game. |
| 49. | Michael Crabtree SF at Den |
| 50. | *Eddie Royal SD vs. KC Note: Knocked out of last week's win over the Raiders with a rib injury that isn't expected to be serious. Full practice this week. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 51. | Allen Robinson JAC vs. Cle |
| 52. | Greg Jennings MIN at Buf |
| 53. | *Jarvis Landry MIA at Chi Note: Landry's role continues to grow - he had six catches on eight targets last week and is ahead of Hartline in the pecking order - or at least has been the last two weeks at least. |
| 54. | Brandon Lloyd SF at Den |
| 55. | *Cordarrelle Patterson MIN at Buf Note: Patterson is still playing through an injured hip, plus the Vikings can't protect the quarterback, which takes a lot of deep patterns out of play. ***(Hip) Listed as probable.*** |
| 56. | Miles Austin CLE at Jax |
| 57. | Kenny Britt STL vs. Sea |
| 58. | Andre Roberts WAS vs. Ten |
| 59. | Marqise Lee JAC vs. Cle |
| 60. | John Brown ARZ at Oak |
| 61. | Jeremy Kerley NYJ at NE |
| 62. | Kenny Stills NO at Det |
| 63. | Anquan Boldin SF at Den |
| 64. | *Devin Hester ATL at Bal Note: (Hamstring) Limited practice Thursday. |
| 65. | Allen Hurns JAC vs. Cle |
| 66. | *Steve Johnson SF at Den Note: Injured his right side late Monday night while recovering an onside kick, but the initial diagnosis of the injury suggested that it wasn't serious. (Hip) Limited in Wednesday's practice. |
| 67. | Hakeem Nicks IND vs. Cin |
| 68. | Brian Hartline MIA at Chi Note: ***Production has flat-lined as of late, with Jarvis Landry surpassing him.*** |
| 69. | Robert Woods BUF vs. Min |
| 70. | Preston Parker NYG at Dal |
| 71. | Donte Moncrief IND vs. Cin |
| 72. | Nate Washington TEN at Was |
| 73. | Jerricho Cotchery CAR at GB |
| 74. | Travis Benjamin CLE at Jax |
| 75. | Tavon Austin STL vs. Sea |
| 76. | Jarius Wright MIN at Buf |
| 77. | Ryan Grant WAS vs. Ten |
| 78. | Corey Brown CAR at GB |
| 79. | Santonio Holmes CHI vs. Mia |
| 80. | *Danny Amendola NE vs. NYJ Note: It's hard to imagine, but at one time Amendola was the brand and Edelman was the knock-off. That's clearly not the case any longer. |
| 81. | *Jeremy Ross DET vs. NO Note: (Ankle) Sat out practice Wednesday, full practice Thursday. |
| 82. | Corey Fuller DET vs. NO |
| 83. | Chris Hogan BUF vs. Min |
| 84. | Dane Sanzenbacher CIN at Ind |
| 85. | *Ricardo Lockette SEA at StL Note: ***Moves up one peg on the depth chart after the Harvin trade.*** |
| 86. | *Paul Richardson SEA at StL Note: ***Moves up one peg on the depth chart after the Harvin trade.*** |
| 87. | Brandon Tate CIN at Ind |
| 88. | Taylor Gabriel CLE at Jax |
| 89. | *Kevin Ogletree NYG at Dal Note: Signed by the Giants in the wake of Victor Cruz's season-ending injury. |
| 90. | *Greg Little CIN at Ind Note: Signed by the Bengals to fill their 'key drop' void. |
| 91. | *Calvin Johnson DET vs. NO Note: Coach Jim Caldwell said that Johnson's ankle was improving but wouldn't commit to any status for Week 7 yet. Did not practice Thursday, unlikely to play again this week. ***Not yet ruled out, testing his ankle extensively before kickoff Sunday.*** |
| 92. | *Percy Harvin NYJ at NE Note: ***Surprise trade to the Jets.*** |
| 93. | *Mike Williams BUF vs. Min Note: Healthy scratch last week, and his agent has requested a trade. |
| 94. | *Donnie Avery KC at SD Note: (Hernia) Out this week. |
| 95. | *A.J. Green CIN at Ind Note: (Toe) Coach Marvin Lewis still has some hope that Green can play this week, though other reports from national sources suggest that he'll be held out. Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Not expected to play this week.*** |
| 96. | *Andre Caldwell DEN vs. SF |
| 97. | *Jarrett Boykin GB vs. Car Note: (Groin) Limited practice Thursday. ***Listed as questionable.*** |
| 98. | *Harry Douglas ATL at Bal Note: (Foot) Did not practice Thursday. ***Ruled out again this week.*** |
| 99. | *Marvin Jones CIN at Ind Note: (Foot/Ankle) Placed on IR by the Bengals, may need surgery. |
| 100. | *Victor Cruz NYG at Dal Note: Torn patellar tendon, already had surgery and has been placed on IR by the Giants. |
Tight Ends
| 1. | Julius Thomas DEN vs. SF |
| 2. | Rob Gronkowski NE vs. NYJ |
| 3. | *Greg Olsen CAR at GB Note: (Ankle) Full practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 4. | Martellus Bennett CHI vs. Mia |
| 5. | Dwayne Allen IND vs. Cin |
| 6. | Jordan Cameron CLE at Jax |
| 7. | *Jimmy Graham NO at Det Note: Tentatively expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a shoulder sprain - that could mean he's out Week 7 and maybe Week 8. Returned to limited practice Thursday. He might actually play this week - Friday could be pretty revealing in that regard. ***Limited practice Friday, now expected to play, probably will have limited snaps.*** |
| 8. | Travis Kelce KC at SD |
| 9. | Antonio Gates SD vs. KC |
| 10. | Jordan Reed WAS vs. Ten Note: Looked fantastic in his return, taking advantage of a great matchup against the Cardinals. |
| 11. | Owen Daniels BAL vs. Atl |
| 12. | Jason Witten DAL vs. NYG |
| 13. | Delanie Walker TEN at Was |
| 14. | Jared Cook STL vs. Sea Note: Cook had a whopping 11 targets Monday night and will probably see a similar workload against the Seahawks if Sherman covers Brian Quick. |
| 15. | *Jace Amaro NYJ at NE Note: (Knee) Full participant Tuesday after being limited Monday. Had a big breakout game against the Broncos and probably will be heavily used the rest of the way. Listed as probable. |
| 16. | Heath Miller PIT vs. Hou |
| 17. | Coby Fleener IND vs. Cin |
| 18. | Larry Donnell NYG at Dal |
| 19. | Scott Chandler BUF vs. Min Note: Connected well with Kyle Orton against the Pats, giving the Bills their first 100-yard performance from a tight end since 1992. |
| 20. | *Vernon Davis SF at Den Note: (Back) Full practice Wednesday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 21. | Brandon Pettigrew DET vs. NO |
| 22. | Tim Wright NE vs. NYJ Note: Was only on the field for 16 snaps, but salvaged the week with a touchdown. |
| 23. | Ben Watson NO at Det |
| 24. | Jermaine Gresham CIN at Ind |
| 25. | *Clay Harbor JAC vs. Cle Note: ***(Knee) Listed as probable.*** |
| 26. | *Charles Clay MIA at Chi Note: (Knee) Limited practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 27. | Mychal Rivera OAK vs. Ari Note: Might be worth a long shot gamble given the opponent - Arizona does a poor job shutting down tight ends. |
| 28. | Garrett Graham HOU at Pit |
| 29. | Niles Paul WAS vs. Ten |
| 30. | Ladarius Green SD vs. KC |
| 31. | Josh Hill NO at Det |
| 32. | Richard Rodgers GB vs. Car |
| 33. | Rhett Ellison MIN at Buf |
| 34. | Jacob Tamme DEN vs. SF |
| 35. | Andrew Quarless GB vs. Car |
| 36. | Levine Toilolo ATL at Bal |
| 37. | Derek Carrier SF at Den |
| 38. | *John Carlson ARZ at Oak Note: Had six targets and was on the field for over 80 percent of the snaps last week. (Knee) No practice Wednesday, limited practice Thursday. ***Listed as questionable.*** |
| 39. | *Eric Ebron DET vs. NO Note: (Hamstring) Missed practice Thursday after a limited practice Wednesday. ***Likely out for Ebron.*** |
Flex (RB/WR/TE)
| 1. | *DeMarco Murray DAL vs. NYG Note: (Illness) Held out Wednesday, but came back for a full practice Thursday. |
| 2. | *Arian Foster HOU at Pit Note: (Groin) Limited in Thursday's practice. ***Full practice Friday and Saturday, listed as probable.*** |
| 3. | Demaryius Thomas DEN vs. SF |
| 4. | Le'Veon Bell PIT vs. Hou Note: It's hard to believe that he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1, but he's still piling on the yards each week. |
| 5. | Jamaal Charles KC at SD |
| 6. | Antonio Brown PIT vs. Hou |
| 7. | Dez Bryant DAL vs. NYG |
| 8. | Julius Thomas DEN vs. SF |
| 9. | Alshon Jeffery CHI vs. Mia |
| 10. | Jordy Nelson GB vs. Car |
| 11. | *Julio Jones ATL at Bal Note: Dealing with a sore ankle - the current expectation is that he will still play against Baltimore, though he may miss some practice time. Limited practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 12. | Randall Cobb GB vs. Car |
| 13. | Julian Edelman NE vs. NYJ |
| 14. | Marshawn Lynch SEA at StL |
| 15. | Matt Forte CHI vs. Mia |
| 16. | *Giovani Bernard CIN at Ind Note: Injured his shoulder against the Panthers but later returned to the game. Not on the initial injury report. |
| 17. | Brandon Marshall CHI vs. Mia |
| 18. | Steve Smith BAL vs. Atl |
| 19. | Golden Tate DET vs. NO |
| 20. | Rob Gronkowski NE vs. NYJ |
| 21. | *Greg Olsen CAR at GB Note: (Ankle) Full practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 22. | *Kelvin Benjamin CAR at GB Note: (Concussion) Held out of practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Benjamin has been cleared to play, but check back before game time to be sure.*** |
| 23. | DeSean Jackson WAS vs. Ten |
| 24. | *Rueben Randle NYG at Dal Note: Randle will become the Giants' top wide receiver with Victor Cruz out for the season. Look for him to get tons of red zone targets. |
| 25. | Justin Forsett BAL vs. Atl |
| 26. | *Lamar Miller MIA at Chi Note: Sat out practice Tuesday to rest his foot. With Moreno out for the season, the job is essentially all his, unless the Dolphins want to break in Damien Williams more. Limited again in Thursday's practice. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 27. | *Andre Ellington ARZ at Oak Note: (Foot) Limited in both Wednesday and Thursday's practices. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 28. | Ahmad Bradshaw IND vs. Cin |
| 29. | Larry Fitzgerald ARZ at Oak |
| 30. | Mohamed Sanu CIN at Ind |
| 31. | T.Y. Hilton IND vs. Cin |
| 32. | Mike Wallace MIA at Chi |
| 33. | Brandon LaFell NE vs. NYJ |
| 34. | Martellus Bennett CHI vs. Mia |
| 35. | Dwayne Allen IND vs. Cin |
| 36. | Emmanuel Sanders DEN vs. SF |
| 37. | *DeAndre Hopkins HOU at Pit Note: ***(Hand) Listed as probable.*** |
| 38. | Reggie Wayne IND vs. Cin |
| 39. | Terrance Williams DAL vs. NYG |
| 40. | Ben Tate CLE at Jax |
| 41. | Eddie Lacy GB vs. Car |
| 42. | Frank Gore SF at Den |
| 43. | *Ronnie Hillman DEN vs. SF Note: Got most of the carries and ended up with 100 yards rushing. However he fumbled once and failed to convert two goal line carries. |
| 44. | Branden Oliver SD vs. KC Note: Is it really a guarantee that Mathews takes back the full-time job once he returns? Why can't it be a timeshare between he and Oliver? |
| 45. | Fred Jackson BUF vs. Min |
| 46. | Shane Vereen NE vs. NYJ Note: Vereen will likely share carries with Bolden and White with Ridley out for the season, rather than assuming a workhorse role. I think that this is similar to the Saints' set-up at running back when Ingram went down. |
| 47. | Joique Bell DET vs. NO |
| 48. | Brandin Cooks NO at Det |
| 49. | Andre Holmes OAK vs. Ari |
| 50. | Justin Hunter TEN at Was |
| 51. | *Andre Johnson HOU at Pit Note: (Ankle) Limited practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 52. | Jordan Cameron CLE at Jax |
| 53. | Travis Kelce KC at SD |
| 54. | Antonio Gates SD vs. KC |
| 55. | Alfred Morris WAS vs. Ten |
| 56. | Cecil Shorts JAC vs. Cle |
| 57. | Pierre Garcon WAS vs. Ten |
| 58. | *Michael Floyd ARZ at Oak Note: (Groin) Limited Wednesday, full practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 59. | Odell Beckham NYG at Dal Note: Beckham played 56 of 64 snaps last week, and that sort of workload is likely to continue with Victor Cruz out for the year. |
| 60. | *Marques Colston NO at Det Note: Could get more targets if Jimmy Graham can't play. |
| 61. | Steven Jackson ATL at Bal |
| 62. | *Jerick McKinnon MIN at Buf Note: McKinnon was a surprise starter last week ahead of Asiata and could be the primary ballcarrier moving forward. |
| 63. | Chris Ivory NYJ at NE |
| 64. | Khiry Robinson NO at Det |
| 65. | *Pierre Thomas NO at Det Note: (Illness) Did not practice Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 66. | Darren McFadden OAK vs. Ari |
| 67. | *Percy Harvin NYJ at NE Note: ***Surprise trade to the Jets.*** |
| 68. | *Eric Decker NYJ at NE Note: (Hamstring) Limited in Tuesday's practice, but made it through Week 6 against the Broncos and had six catches on 10 targets with a touchdown. Listed as probable. |
| 69. | Kendall Wright TEN at Was |
| 70. | Brian Quick STL vs. Sea |
| 71. | *Malcom Floyd SD vs. KC Note: Calf injury wasn't an issue against the Raiders. |
| 72. | *Keenan Allen SD vs. KC Note: Dealt with a quad injury last week during practice, but played last week. With Eddie Royal dealing with a rib injury, it's possible that Allen could get more targets this week. |
| 73. | Torrey Smith BAL vs. Atl |
| 74. | Davante Adams GB vs. Car |
| 75. | Jordan Reed WAS vs. Ten Note: Looked fantastic in his return, taking advantage of a great matchup against the Cardinals. |
| 76. | Owen Daniels BAL vs. Atl |
| 77. | Jason Witten DAL vs. NYG |
| 78. | Jeremy Hill CIN at Ind |
| 79. | Trent Richardson IND vs. Cin |
| 80. | *Zac Stacy STL vs. Sea Note: (Calf) Had just eight carries against seven for Cunningham on Monday night, with Tre Mason also being part of the gameplan. (Ankle) Did not practice Wednesday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 81. | *Brandon Bolden NE vs. NYJ Note: Had more carries than Vereen last week. I think that who gets the most carries in a given week isn't going to be like a traditional hierarchy but more based on matchups. |
| 82. | Bishop Sankey TEN at Was Note: Sankey was a pretty big disappointment given the 18 carries - and seeing Jackie Battle get the one-yard touchdown run was aggravating. ***No Shonn Greene again this week, so once again Sankey could win the carries battle, but lose the goal line war to Battle.*** |
| 83. | Antone Smith ATL at Bal |
| 84. | *Isaiah Crowell CLE at Jax Note: Finally some definition in the Browns' backfield with West inactive last week. Crowell ran great (11-for-77 with a touchdown), but also put the ball on the ground twice, losing one. |
| 85. | C.J. Spiller BUF vs. Min Note: It's pretty hard to justify a Spiller start right now - just six carries last week, and Fred Jackson gets more passing downs work than him. |
| 86. | *Wes Welker DEN vs. SF Note: Welker had just one target in the win over the Jets. I thought that he would be more involved after his return from the suspension, but between Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, there hasn't been much left for him. |
| 87. | Andre Williams NYG at Dal Note: Evenly split carries with Peyton Hillis last week - it's pretty clear that the Giants (i.e. Tom Coughlin) don't trust him on passing downs. Once the Giants fell far behind, virtually every down was a passing down. |
| 88. | Dwayne Bowe KC at SD |
| 89. | Andrew Hawkins CLE at Jax Note: Surprisingly had only two targets in the win over Pittsburgh, but then again the Browns didn't need to throw the ball often after building a big lead over the Steelers. |
| 90. | James Jones OAK vs. Ari |
| 91. | *Storm Johnson JAC vs. Cle Note: ***Gerhart out again, but Johnson could share first and second round carries with Denard Robinson and cede third down reps to Jordan Todman.*** |
| 92. | Markus Wheaton PIT vs. Hou |
| 93. | *Roddy White ATL at Bal Note: Shaken up twice on big hits by the Bears, though he remained in the game. |
| 94. | Michael Crabtree SF at Den |
| 95. | *Eddie Royal SD vs. KC Note: Knocked out of last week's win over the Raiders with a rib injury that isn't expected to be serious. Full practice this week. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 96. | Allen Robinson JAC vs. Cle |
| 97. | Delanie Walker TEN at Was |
| 98. | *Jace Amaro NYJ at NE Note: (Knee) Full participant Tuesday after being limited Monday. Had a big breakout game against the Broncos and probably will be heavily used the rest of the way. Listed as probable. |
| 99. | Heath Miller PIT vs. Hou |
| 100. | Sammy Watkins BUF vs. Min |
| 101. | Greg Jennings MIN at Buf |
| 102. | *Jarvis Landry MIA at Chi Note: Landry's role continues to grow - he had six catches on eight targets last week and is ahead of Hartline in the pecking order - or at least has been the last two weeks at least. |
| 103. | Brandon Lloyd SF at Den |
| 104. | *Cordarrelle Patterson MIN at Buf Note: Patterson is still playing through an injured hip, plus the Vikings can't protect the quarterback, which takes a lot of deep patterns out of play. ***(Hip) Listed as probable.*** |
| 105. | *Matt Asiata MIN at Buf Note: (Groin) Was limited to two carries and was a late backup to McKinnon. |
| 106. | Chris Johnson NYJ at NE |
| 107. | Dexter McCluster TEN at Was |
| 108. | Roy Helu WAS vs. Ten |
| 109. | *Reggie Bush DET vs. NO Note: (Ankle) Inactive last week, but '100 percent' believes that he will play in Week 7. Limited participant both Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as probable.*** |
| 110. | *Jonathan Stewart CAR at GB Note: (Knee) Could have a full practice Wednesday. Has returned to practice, meanhile Whittaker and Reaves did not practice Thursday. ***Expected to start this week.*** |
| 111. | *A.J. Green CIN at Ind Note: (Toe) Coach Marvin Lewis still has some hope that Green can play this week, though other reports from national sources suggest that he'll be held out. Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Not expected to play this week.*** |
| 112. | *Calvin Johnson DET vs. NO Note: Coach Jim Caldwell said that Johnson's ankle was improving but wouldn't commit to any status for Week 7 yet. Did not practice Thursday, unlikely to play again this week. ***Not yet ruled out, testing his ankle extensively before kickoff Sunday.*** |
| 113. | *Jimmy Graham NO at Det Note: Tentatively expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a shoulder sprain - that could mean he's out Week 7 and maybe Week 8. Returned to limited practice Thursday. He might actually play this week - Friday could be pretty revealing in that regard. ***Limited practice Friday, now expected to play, probably will have limited snaps.*** |
Kickers
| 1. | Stephen Gostkowski NE vs. NYJ Note: Had his first miss of the season Sunday, but still going strong. |
| 2. | Phil Dawson SF at Den Note: A decent day could have been a lot better - twice the Niners opted to go for it late to salt the game away rather than settle for the field goal. |
| 3. | Dan Bailey DAL vs. NYG |
| 4. | Brandon McManus DEN vs. SF |
| 5. | Steven Hauschka SEA at StL |
| 6. | Nick Novak SD vs. KC |
| 7. | Justin Tucker BAL vs. Atl |
| 8. | Chandler Catanzaro ARZ at Oak |
| 9. | Adam Vinatieri IND vs. Cin |
| 10. | Mason Crosby GB vs. Car |
| 11. | Dan Carpenter BUF vs. Min |
| 12. | Mike Nugent CIN at Ind Note: Made three field goals, but missed (badly) on the potential game-winner in overtime. He now has missed six kicks on the season. |
| 13. | Matt Prater DET vs. NO Note: Made just one of his three attempts in his Lions debut. |
| 14. | Randy Bullock HOU at Pit |
| 15. | Shayne Graham NO at Det |
| 16. | Matt Bryant ATL at Bal |
| 17. | Robbie Gould CHI vs. Mia |
| 18. | Cairo Santos KC at SD |
| 19. | Josh Brown NYG at Dal |
| 20. | Shaun Suisham PIT vs. Hou |
| 21. | Ryan Succop TEN at Was |
| 22. | Graham Gano CAR at GB Note: Made 3-of-4 against the Bengals, but the miss was from 38 yards and could have put the Panthers up two scores in the fourth quarter. |
| 23. | Greg Zuerlein STL vs. Sea |
| 24. | Nick Folk NYJ at NE |
| 25. | Sebastian Janikowski OAK vs. Ari |
| 26. | Caleb Sturgis MIA at Chi |
| 27. | Billy Cundiff CLE at Jax |
| 28. | Blair Walsh MIN at Buf |
| 29. | Kai Forbath WAS vs. Ten |
| 30. | Josh Scobee JAC vs. Cle |
Defenses
| 1. | *New England Patriots vs. NYJ Note: The Pats lost Jerod Mayo (knee) for the season. |
| 2. | *Seattle Seahawks at StL Note: Bobby Wagner has a turf toe injury. |
| 3. | San Diego Chargers vs. KC |
| 4. | *Cleveland Browns at Jax Note: Armonty Bryant is out for the season with a torn ACL. |
| 5. | Buffalo Bills vs. Min |
| 6. | *Denver Broncos vs. SF Note: Danny Trevathan (knee) has been placed on the IR-to-return list. |
| 7. | *Arizona Cardinals at Oak Note: Calais Campbell (knee) probably won't be returning until Week 8. |
| 8. | Baltimore Ravens vs. Atl |
| 9. | *Dallas Cowboys vs. NYG Note: Bruce Carter (thigh) still out this week, but could return in Week 8. |
| 10. | Detroit Lions vs. NO Note: Detroit's defense is my toughest decision of the week - they've been awesome, especially at home. How much will the Saints fix their offense over the bye? Will the Saints have an effective Jimmy Graham? So many question marks. |
| 11. | Houston Texans at Pit |
| 12. | *San Francisco 49ers at Den Note: Patrick Willis (toe) won't likely play this week. |
| 13. | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Hou |
| 14. | *Green Bay Packers vs. Car Note: Tramon Williams (ankle) and Sam Shields (knee) both got hurt last week - it's possible both could sit this week against Carolina, but neither are expected to be out long-term. |
| 15. | St. Louis Rams vs. Sea |
| 16. | Carolina Panthers at GB |
| 17. | Indianapolis Colts vs. Cin |
| 18. | New Orleans Saints at Det |
| 19. | *Kansas City Chiefs at SD Note: The Chiefs are monitoring the progress of Eric Berry (ankle) closely. |
| 20. | Chicago Bears vs. Mia |
| 21. | New York Jets at NE |
| 22. | Miami Dolphins at Chi |
| 23. | Tennessee Titans at Was |
| 24. | Minnesota Vikings at Buf |
| 25. | *New York Giants at Dal Note: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie left with back spasms Sunday night and is also dealing with an IT band injury that appears to be the source of the injury. |
| 26. | *Cincinnati Bengals at Ind Note: The Bengals lost linebackers Rey Maualuga and Emmanuel Lamur in the tie against Carolina, and Vontaze Burfict briefly left after another head-to-head hit. Maualuga and Lamur aren't likely to play against Indy this week. |
| 27. | Washington Redskins vs. Ten |
| 28. | Oakland Raiders vs. Ari |
| 29. | Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cle |
| 30. | Atlanta Falcons at Bal |
