Weekly Rankings: Week 7 Value Meter

Weekly Rankings: Week 7 Value Meter

This article is part of our Weekly Rankings series.

Sunday Update Complete

Week 7 Notes: Bye-Maggedon! Buffalo, Dallas, Jacksonville, LA Chargers, Minnesota and Pittsburgh on bye.

Welcome to the Weekly Value Meter Rankings. This is a guide to help you decide who to start and sit in a given week. It's is not a season-long ranking nor a draft guide, and it's also not really intended as a free agent guide. While I appreciate that you want my opinion on pickups, every league is different, and your decision on whether to add/drop a particular player might also be dictated by other factors than who is rated higher in a given week.

Here are my operating assumptions for the rankings:

- The RB/WR/TE position rankings are for PPR leagues.
- The Flex rankings are for Standard leagues.
- 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards.
- 1 point per 20 passing yards.
- 4 points per passing touchdowns.

These are the rankings I use when I make my start/sit decisions. Please consult the rankings first before asking "Player X vs. Player Y?" without any other mitigating factors. Of course, I welcome debate - if you think I'm wrong, let me know. But please check out the rankings first before asking your start/sit question. This truly reflects my opinion in my leagues.

These are my particular rankings. If you want a second opinion elsewhere on the site, you can see our Weekly Projections.

Starting after Week 1, the rankings for the subsequent week will first post on Tuesday nights. I will

Sunday Update Complete

Week 7 Notes: Bye-Maggedon! Buffalo, Dallas, Jacksonville, LA Chargers, Minnesota and Pittsburgh on bye.

Welcome to the Weekly Value Meter Rankings. This is a guide to help you decide who to start and sit in a given week. It's is not a season-long ranking nor a draft guide, and it's also not really intended as a free agent guide. While I appreciate that you want my opinion on pickups, every league is different, and your decision on whether to add/drop a particular player might also be dictated by other factors than who is rated higher in a given week.

Here are my operating assumptions for the rankings:

- The RB/WR/TE position rankings are for PPR leagues.
- The Flex rankings are for Standard leagues.
- 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards.
- 1 point per 20 passing yards.
- 4 points per passing touchdowns.

These are the rankings I use when I make my start/sit decisions. Please consult the rankings first before asking "Player X vs. Player Y?" without any other mitigating factors. Of course, I welcome debate - if you think I'm wrong, let me know. But please check out the rankings first before asking your start/sit question. This truly reflects my opinion in my leagues.

These are my particular rankings. If you want a second opinion elsewhere on the site, you can see our Weekly Projections.

Starting after Week 1, the rankings for the subsequent week will first post on Tuesday nights. I will then do a set of updates before kickoff on Thursday, and again before kickoff on Sunday morning. I will post at the top of the article in bold font when ranking updates are in progress and when they're complete.

I welcome debate on the rankings in the comments. Please keep it friendly.

Quarterbacks

1.Patrick Mahomes KC at TEN
2.Lamar Jackson BAL vs. CIN
3.Tom Brady TB vs. CHI
4.Kyler Murray ARZ vs. HOU
5.Aaron Rodgers GB vs. WAS
6.Matthew Stafford LA vs. DET
7.Jalen Hurts PHI at LV
8.Ryan Tannehill TEN vs. KC
9.Joe Burrow CIN at BAL
10.*Derek Carr LV vs. PHI
Note: Carr hit on a number of big plays last week against a Broncos pass defense that was considered a tough matchup.
11.*Tua Tagovailoa MIA vs. ATL
Note: Tagovailoa showed me something last week, albeit against the Jaguars. They're coming off a London trip, but on paper they also have a good matchup against Atlanta. Tagovailoa (ribs) was limited in practice both Wednesday and Thursday. Though there have been trade rumors regarding DeShaun Watson this week, which would displace Tua eventually, nothing has occurred just yet. ***Tagovailoa has been cleared from the injury list.***
12.Matt Ryan ATL at MIA
13.*Jameis Winston NO at SEA
Note: ***Winston will get more snaps and presumably more attempts this week with Taysom Hill (concussion) ruled out this week.***
14.*Taylor Heinicke WAS at GB
Note: Heinicke was a real let-down in a plus matchup against the Chiefs, failing to get much done at all downfield. ***Heinicke might have a little more short-term role security than initially thought - teammate Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't yet had an MRI on his injured hip to gauge his progress. WFT has their bye in Week 9, so it makes sense that Fitzpatrick is more likely to be out until after the bye.***
15.*Carson Wentz IND at SF
Note: ***Weather could be an issue for Sunday night's game - a big storm is due to hit the Bay Area on Sunday.***
16.*Jared Goff DET at LAR
Note: Goff's wide receivers are brutal, but he's also to blame for this mess. One example - on 4th-and-4 from midfield against the Bengals in the first half, Goff scrambled and then just threw it out of bounds, clearly throwing it away, as if it weren't fourth down.
17.Mac Jones NE vs. NYJ
18.Daniel Jones NYG vs. CAR
19.*Teddy Bridgewater DEN at CLE
Note: Bridgewater injured his foot late in the loss to the Raiders and has been limited in practice so far this week. Bridgewater will start Thursday night despite being listed as questionable.
20.*Justin Fields CHI at TB
Note: The struggles continue for Fields - he gets to face a Bucs secondary that has been decimated by injury, but the Bucs' pass rush remains intact, and that's been a big problem for Fields so far.
21.*Case Keenum CLE vs. DEN
Note: Getting the start on Thursday night in place of Baker Mayfield. Nick Mullens will be the backup.
22.*Sam Darnold CAR at NYG
Note: It can be simultaneously true that Darnold has been awful the last two weeks and that his wide receivers are letting him down. Robby Anderson in particular had a brutal game against the Vikings.
23.*Jimmy Garoppolo SF vs. IND
Note: Garoppolo (calf) could be back in line to start this week with Trey Lance dealing with a sprained knee. Jimmy G. practiced Monday, whereas Lance did not. Listed as limited on Wednesday, though that's still well ahead of Trey Lance. ***Garoppolo will start this week, and will be backed up by Nate Sudfield with Lance ruled out.***
24.Zach Wilson NYJ at NE
25.*Davis Mills HOU at ARI
Note: Mills will start again this week; Tyrod Taylor could start next week.
26.*Geno Smith SEA vs. NO
Note: Smith really struggled early on, was credible in the second half, but then had the critical fumble in overtime. Even though he's home this week, he has a bad matchup against the Saints.
27.Drew Lock DEN at CLE
28.*Trey Lance SF vs. IND
Note: Lance sprained his knee in the Week 5 loss to the Cardinals, and wasn't spotted at Monday's practice, whereas Jimmy Garoppolo (calf) was present. Lance remained out of practice Thursday. ***Ruled out this week.***
29.*Tyrod Taylor HOU at ARI
Note: The Texans are taking matters 'day-to-day' for Taylor and his hamstring, as opposed to 'week-to-week' like it was last week. I feel as if the Texans might wait at least one more week to swap Taylor back in for Davis Mills. Taylor will be out at least another week.
30.*Taysom Hill NO at SEA
Note: Hill suffered a concussion before the bye, and wasn't able to practice when the Saints resumed practices on Thursday. ***Hill still is in the concussion protocol and has been ruled out this week.***
31.*Baker Mayfield CLE vs. DEN
Note: Mayfield revealed that he had a completely torn labrum in his left shoulder back in Week 2, and aggravated that injury last week. He didn't practice Monday, but came out late for a limited practice Tuesday. Case Keenum is the backup. Ruled out for Thursday. Mayfield will need surgery over the offseason.

Running Backs

1.Derrick Henry TEN vs. KC
2.Jonathan Taylor IND at SF
3.Aaron Jones GB vs. WAS
4.Alvin Kamara NO at SEA
5.Darrell Henderson LA vs. DET
6.Joe Mixon CIN at BAL
7.Cordarrelle Patterson ATL at MIA
8.*D'Andre Swift DET at LAR
Note: Swift received his usual limited reps in practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as questionable for the seventh week in a row.***
9.Leonard Fournette TB vs. CHI
10.Josh Jacobs LV vs. PHI
11.*Chuba Hubbard CAR at NYG
Note: Hubbard will start for at least two more weeks with CMC going on the IR before Week 6.
12.*Darrel Williams KC at TEN
Note: To my eyes, Williams looked better than his 21-62 stat line suggests, though he had two touchdowns to provide a good fantasy day regardless.
13.*James Conner ARZ vs. HOU
Note: Conner could shoulder another heavy workload this week against the Texans.
14.*Damien Harris NE vs. NYJ
Note: Harris was dealing with sore ribs heading into the Dallas game and then limped off late, ceding a TD carry to Rhamondre Stevenson. Watch his practice status carefully this week. Harris was not on the Patriots injury report Wednesday, a list that contained 16 players, so presumably he's clear to go this week.
15.Miles Sanders PHI at LV
16.J.D. McKissic WAS at GB
17.*Javonte Williams DEN at CLE
Note: Williams still has a near 50-50 split with Melvin Gordon - it would be more annoying, but Gordon is playing well too.
18.*Elijah Mitchell SF vs. IND
Note: ***I'm a little worried that JaMycal Hasty will cut into Mitchell's workload.***
19.Mike Davis ATL at MIA
20.*D'Ernest Johnson CLE vs. DEN
Note: Johnson is likely to start with both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt out with their respective calf injuries.
21.*Antonio Gibson WAS at GB
Note: Gibson underwent an MRI for a calf injury suffered late in the loss to the Chiefs. He's also still dealing with a shin issue. Sat out practice Wednesday, but returned in a limited capacity Thursday. ***Listed as questionable but expects to tough it out again this week.***
22.*Devontae Booker NYG vs. CAR
Note: ***Saquon Barkley has officially been ruled out.***
23.*Devonta Freeman BAL vs. CIN
Note: Freeman was the lead back for the Ravens after Latavius Murray got hurt. If Murray sits, he'll probably share time with Lev Bell and Ty'Son Williams, who was a healthy scratch last week. Murray did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Freeman is expected to start this week against the Bengals with Latavius Murray ruled out.***
24.*Alex Collins SEA vs. NO
Note: Collins is dealing with hip and glute injuries and his status is uncertain for this week. Collins is expected to practice Thursday. ***Collins didn't practice Thursday or Friday, but did practice Saturday and 'looked good,' and will play on Monday night. However, Rashaad Penny is expected to return this week, so it's uncertain how much playing time Collins will get.***
25.AJ Dillon GB vs. WAS
26.Michael Carter NYJ at NE
27.*Melvin Gordon DEN at CLE
Note: Gordon (hip) was a full participant in Tuesday's walkthrough.
28.*Chase Edmonds ARZ vs. HOU
Note: Edmonds (shoulder) was limited to four carries last week, and might see similar limitations this week with the Cardinals projected to be comfortably ahead of the Texans. Limited practice on Thursday. ***Cleared from the injury list.***
29.*Khalil Herbert CHI at TB
Note: Teammate Damien Williams remains on the COVID-IR until at least Saturday. ***Williams was activated from the COVID list on Saturday - I'll be honest, I don't how the playing time will be shared.***
30.Mark Ingram HOU at ARI
31.Myles Gaskin MIA vs. ATL
32.*Demetric Felton CLE vs. DEN
Note: Felton will be the primary pass-catching back, with D'Ernest Johnson in line to start, thanks to injuries to both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
33.Giovani Bernard TB vs. CHI
34.*Rhamondre Stevenson NE vs. NYJ
Note: Stevenson got the late touchdown run after Damien Harris got banged up, plus Stevenson received som credit for his 'soft hands' in the passing game.
35.Salvon Ahmed MIA vs. ATL
36.Jamaal Williams DET at LAR
37.*DeeJay Dallas SEA vs. NO
Note: My guess is that if Alex Collins's hip injury turns out to be an issue, it'll be Dallas that will get more work over Travis Homer, duding from his 22 offensive snaps Sunday night.
38.*Le'Veon Bell BAL vs. CIN
Note: Added to the active roster permanently from the practice squad. Teammate Latavius Murray (ankle) did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.
39.*Kenyan Drake LV vs. PHI
Note: I'm a little wary of putting Drake too high, as he only had 11 snaps last week. But I did move him up roughly 15 spots.
40.Nyheim Hines IND at SF
41.*Damien Williams CHI at TB
Note: The earliest that Williams can rejoin the Bears is on Saturday, as he's unvaccinated. ***Williams was activated from the COVID list Saturday - I'm not sure how much he'll play this week.***
42.*Samaje Perine CIN at BAL
Note: Perine was reinstated from the COVID-IR on Thursday. ***Perine has been cleared to play Sunday, though it's noteworthy that the Bengals' coaching staff said that Perine and Chris Evans don't have set roles behind Joe Mixon, with Evans having narrowed the gap between he and Perine.***
43.*Sony Michel LA vs. DET
Note: Michel injured his shoulder in the win over the Giants, but is not expected to miss any time. Sat out practice Wednesday. ***Listed as questionable, but is expected to play.***
44.Trey Sermon SF vs. IND
45.Ty Johnson NYJ at NE
46.Marlon Mack IND at SF
47.*Chris Evans CIN at BAL
Note: Evans is a problem for opposing defenses in the passing game - he badly burned the linebacker covering him on his receiving touchdown last week. Evans has been limited in practice with a hamstring issue so far this week. ***Evans has been cleared to play.***
48.Travis Homer SEA vs. NO
49.Phillip Lindsay HOU at ARI
50.Ronald Jones TB vs. CHI
51.*Jaret Patterson WAS at GB
Note: Only two touches last week, but could be in line for more work if Antonio Gibson's shin injury turns up to be a bigger issue.
52.Kenneth Gainwell PHI at LV
53.*David Johnson HOU at ARI
Note: Johnson lost a fumble and got buried last week, taking third chair behind Mark Ingram and Philip Lindsay.
54.*Brandon Bolden NE vs. NYJ
Note: Bolden (thigh) was limited in Wednesday's practice. ***Listed as limited all week.***
55.Royce Freeman CAR at NYG
56.*Darrynton Evans TEN vs. KC
Note: ***Evans (knee) was activated from the IR on Saturday.***
57.*Ty'Son Williams BAL vs. CIN
Note: Williams has been a healthy scratch the last two weeks but could play this week if Latavius Murray (ankle) has to sit out.
58.Kylin Hill GB vs. WAS
59.*Jerick McKinnon KC at TEN
Note: McKinnon didn't get that much usage even with CEH out.
60.*Tevin Coleman NYJ at NE
Note: ***Coleman picked up a hamstring injury late in the week and is listed as questionable.***
61.*JaMycal Hasty SF vs. IND
Note: ***Hasty (ankle) has been activated from the IR and will be available to play.***
62.John Kelly CLE vs. DEN
63.*Malcolm Brown MIA vs. ATL
Note: (Ribs) Limited practice Wednesday.
64.*Jeremy McNichols TEN vs. KC
Note: McNichols aggravated his ankle injury in the win over the Bills. Limited practice Thursday.
65.*J.J. Taylor NE vs. NYJ
Note: Taylor sat out last week's loss to the Cowboys with a groin issue but was not on the injury report Wednesday.
66.Gary Brightwell NYG vs. CAR
67.*Latavius Murray BAL vs. CIN
Note: Murray injured his ankle in the win over the Chargers - we'll watch his status carefully throughout the week. Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Officially ruled out this week.***
68.*Rashaad Penny SEA vs. NO
Note: Penny (calf) is back up to full speed but isn't guaranteed to be activated from IR yet.
69.*Peyton Barber LV vs. PHI
70.*Saquon Barkley NYG vs. CAR
Note: (Ankle) Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Officially ruled out.***
71.*Nick Chubb CLE vs. DEN
Note: Chubb (calf) has already been ruled out again for Thursday's game against the Broncos.
72.*David Montgomery CHI at TB
73.*Kareem Hunt CLE vs. DEN
Note: Hunt will be out a minimum of three games with a calf injury that has placed him on IR. His tentative timetable is 4-to-6 weeks.

Wide Receivers

1.Davante Adams GB vs. WAS
2.*Tyreek Hill KC at TEN
Note: Hill (quad) once again missed practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Like last week, Hill returned to a limited practice Friday and is listed as questionable, with the expectation that he'll play.***
3.DeAndre Hopkins ARZ vs. HOU
4.Cooper Kupp LA vs. DET
5.*Calvin Ridley ATL at MIA
Note: Ridley returned to practice Monday after sitting out Week 5 due to personal reasons.
6.Deebo Samuel SF vs. IND
7.*Terry McLaurin WAS at GB
Note: (Hamstring) Sat out practice Wednesday before returning to a limited practice Thursday. ***Practiced again on Friday and should play this week.***
8.Ja'Marr Chase CIN at BAL
9.*Courtland Sutton DEN at CLE
Note: Sutton had a whopping 14 targets in the loss to the Raiders.
10.DJ Moore CAR at NYG
11.Mike Evans TB vs. CHI
12.*DK Metcalf SEA vs. NO
Note: I didn't downgrade Metcalf enough due to the QB change last week - this is a problem, with Metcalf likely drawing Marshon Lattimore this week. ***Metcalf was held out of practice Friday to rest his foot, but was removed from the injury list on Saturday.***
13.Marquise Brown BAL vs. CIN
14.Robert Woods LA vs. DET
15.Chris Godwin TB vs. CHI
16.*A.J. Brown TEN vs. KC
Note: Played through food poisoning to catch seven passes for 91 yards on Monday night. Brown is still dealing with the effects of food poisoning and sat out practice both Wednesday and Thursday. ***Full practice Friday.***
17.DeVonta Smith PHI at LV
18.Tee Higgins CIN at BAL
19.Marquez Callaway NO at SEA
20.Jaylen Waddle MIA vs. ATL
21.Brandin Cooks HOU at ARI
22.Tyler Lockett SEA vs. NO
23.*Michael Pittman IND at SF
Note: ***Teammate T.Y. Hilton has been ruled out. However, this game could be played in the midst of a rainstorm.***
24.*Henry Ruggs LV vs. PHI
Note: Ruggs (knee) practiced fully Thursday after being limited Wednesday.
25.*Allen Robinson CHI at TB
Note: (Ankle) Sat out practice Wednesday, limited on Thursday. ***Limited again on Friday and listed as questionable, but he's expected to play.***
26.Tyler Boyd CIN at BAL
27.*Jarvis Landry CLE vs. DEN
Note: There's a chance that Landry (knee) could return this week - it'll probably come down to the last minute for the Browns to decide. Landry was activated from the IR and will play Thursday night.
28.Christian Kirk ARZ vs. HOU
29.Corey Davis NYJ at NE
30.Tim Patrick DEN at CLE
31.*Darnell Mooney CHI at TB
Note: Mooney (groin) was limited in practice Thursday.
32.Jakobi Meyers NE vs. NYJ
33.Rondale Moore ARZ vs. HOU
34.Brandon Aiyuk SF vs. IND
35.Jamison Crowder NYJ at NE
36.*Robby Anderson CAR at NYG
Note: A late touchdown salvaged an otherwise miserable nightmare of a game for Anderson, who had multiple drops.
37.A.J. Green ARZ vs. HOU
38.Quez Watkins PHI at LV
39.Mecole Hardman KC at TEN
40.Hunter Renfrow LV vs. PHI
41.*Julio Jones TEN vs. KC
Note: Jones left Monday night's win with a hamstring injury. Sat out practice Wednesday, limited practice Thursday. ***Another limited practice Friday, and there's some optimism (per Ian Rapoport) that he'll play.***
42.*Sterling Shepard NYG vs. CAR
Note: Shepard (hamstring) was limited in practice on Thursday. ***Limited again on Friday and is a true game-time decision.***
43.*Odell Beckham CLE vs. DEN
Note: Beckham (shoulder) didn't practice Monday or Tuesday. Beckham is going to play through a third-degree shoulder strain.
44.*Jalen Reagor PHI at LV
Note: Reagor's stat line from Thursday night is a disaster, but he drew two long pass interference calls against the Bucs.
45.Randall Cobb GB vs. WAS
46.Kalif Raymond DET at LAR
47.Rashod Bateman BAL vs. CIN
48.Nelson Agholor NE vs. NYJ
49.Amon-Ra St. Brown DET at LAR
50.*Bryan Edwards LV vs. PHI
Note: Edwards practiced fully Wednesday after being limited Wednesday.
51.*Russell Gage ATL at MIA
Note: Gage (ankle) returned to practice on Monday - he has missed the last three games.
52.Zach Pascal IND at SF
53.*Tyler Johnson TB vs. CHI
Note: ***Antonio Brown has been ruled out this week.***
54.*Dante Pettis NYG vs. CAR
Note: ***Pettis is the Giants' healthiest receiver, and garnered 11 targets last week.***
55.*Nico Collins HOU at ARI
Note: Collins (shoulder) had six targets last week in his first game back. Collins was a limited participant in practice with a foot injury on Thursday. ***Limited again on Friday and is listed as questionable.***
56.DeSean Jackson LA vs. DET
57.Olamide Zaccheaus ATL at MIA
58.*John Ross NYG vs. CAR
Note: Ross (hamstring) didn't practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday.
59.*Darius Slayton NYG vs. CAR
Note: (Hamstring) Limited at Thursday's practice. ***Slayton is listed as questionable, but he's expected to be available.***
60.Nick Westbrook-Ikhine TEN vs. KC
61.Elijah Moore NYJ at NE
62.Demarcus Robinson KC at TEN
63.Van Jefferson LA vs. DET
64.Chris Moore HOU at ARI
65.Byron Pringle KC at TEN
66.Kendrick Bourne NE vs. NYJ
67.*Chris Conley HOU at ARI
Note: Conley suffered a neck injury but later returned. That said, Nico Collins is cutting into Conley's reps. Limited practices Wednesday and Thursday. ***Limited in all three practices this week, listed as questionable.***
68.Collin Johnson NYG vs. CAR
69.Braxton Berrios NYJ at NE
70.*Josh Gordon KC at TEN
Note: Played only 11 snaps and was not targeted.
71.*DeVante Parker MIA vs. ATL
Note: (Shoulder/Hamstring) Limited at Thursday's practice. ***Facing an uphill battle to play, though not ruled out yet.***
72.*T.Y. Hilton IND at SF
Note: Hilton injured his quad in his return from the IR last week, but he checked out well on Monday and will be day-to-day this week. Didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday and will be a '50-50' call Sunday night. ***Already ruled out.***
73.*Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE vs. DEN
Note: Even discounting for the Hail Mary touchdown, DPJ has been more active for the Browns lately, and OBJ hasn't practiced yet this week. Both Landry and OBJ are active this week, which will probably hurt Peoples-Jones in terms of snaps and targets. ***Injured in warmups on Thursday night, with the injury finally reported right at kickoff.***
74.*Terrace Marshall CAR at NYG
Note: Suffered a concussion in the loss to the Vikings. Sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Ruled out this week.***
75.*Chester Rogers TEN vs. KC
Note: ***Rogers has been ruled out with a groin injury.***
76.*Deonte Harris NO at SEA
Note: Harris (hamstring) did not practice Thursday. ***Ruled out with his hamstring injury.***
77.*Sammy Watkins BAL vs. CIN
Note: (Hamstring) Hasn't yet practiced this week. ***Ruled out again this week.***
78.*Kenny Golladay NYG vs. CAR
Note: (Knee) Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Ruled out again this week.***
79.*Kadarius Toney NYG vs. CAR
Note: Toney reinjured his ankle early in the loss to the Rams and is unlikely to play this week. Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Ruled out this week.***
80.*Curtis Samuel WAS at GB
Note: (Groin) Hasn't yet practiced this week. ***Ruled out again this week.***
81.*Will Fuller MIA vs. ATL
82.*Antonio Brown TB vs. CHI
Note: Brown has sat out practice both Wednesday and Thursday with an ankle injury. ***Ruled out for this week.***
83.*Parris Campbell IND at SF
Note: Campbell was placed on IR with a foot injury, suffered in the course of scoring on a 51-yard reception.

Tight Ends

1.*Travis Kelce KC at TEN
Note: Kelce (neck) has been limited at practice all week. ***Kelce was cleared from the injury list on Friday.***
2.Mark Andrews BAL vs. CIN
3.Kyle Pitts ATL at MIA
4.*Noah Fant DEN at CLE
Note: Limited by a foot issue Monday and Tuesday, but should play Thursday night. Full practice Wednesday, cleared from the injury list.
5.*Mike Gesicki MIA vs. ATL
Note: Despite the Week 1 'make me sick-y' game, Gesicki is better off with Tua.
6.*Dallas Goedert PHI at LV
Note: Goedert will go sky-high in the rankings once he clears the COVID-IR, now that Ertz is gone. Goedert was activated from the COVID-IR, but worked on the side during Thursday's practice. ***Goedert has been cleared to play.***
7.*Darren Waller LV vs. PHI
Note: ***Waller injured his inner ankle and heel in practice on Friday and 'doesn't feel great' - he's listed as questionable and will be a game-time decision on Sunday afternoon.***
8.Tyler Higbee LA vs. DET
9.*T.J. Hockenson DET at LAR
Note: Hockenson was limited in practice with a knee issue Thursday. ***Limited practice again on Friday.***
10.*Hunter Henry NE vs. NYJ
Note: Henry is becoming a reliable red zone option for Mac Jones.
11.*Zach Ertz ARZ vs. HOU
Note: Ertz might break in slowly with a new team, one that traditionally hasn't found many uses for a tight end.
12.*Ricky Seals-Jones WAS at GB
Note: Seals-Jones was out Wednesday and limited Thursday with a quad injury. ***Cleared from the injury list on Friday.***
13.Cole Kmet CHI at TB
14.*Evan Engram NYG vs. CAR
Note: Engram had a disappointing game last week, but I like the matchup against the Panthers - Ty Conklin just went for 71 yards against them, and Chris Herndon gave proof of life with a touchdown reception. Engram was held out of Thursday's practice with a calf injury. ***Engram returned to a limited practice Friday and is expected to play, unless he has a setback in pregame warmups.***
15.Mo Alie-Cox IND at SF
16.Cameron Brate TB vs. CHI
17.Robert Tonyan GB vs. WAS
18.*O.J. Howard TB vs. CHI
Note: Howard was limited at Thursday's practice with an ankle issue. ***Improved to a full practice on Friday.***
19.C.J. Uzomah CIN at BAL
20.Hayden Hurst ATL at MIA
21.Gerald Everett SEA vs. NO
22.Juwan Johnson NO at SEA
23.*David Njoku CLE vs. DEN
Note: Njoku (knee) was limited at Tuesday's practice. This is the third week in a row where his practices have been capped. Cleared from the injury list on Wednesday.
24.Ross Dwelley SF vs. IND
25.Tommy Tremble CAR at NYG
26.Anthony Firkser TEN vs. KC
27.Austin Hooper CLE vs. DEN
28.Jonnu Smith NE vs. NYJ
29.Adam Trautman NO at SEA
30.Harrison Bryant CLE vs. DEN
31.Jack Doyle IND at SF
32.*Rob Gronkowski TB vs. CHI
Note: Gronk (ribs) was listed as a non-participant Wednesday and Thursday, though he did some speed and conditioning drills prior to practice Thursday. ***Ruled out again this week.***
33.*Logan Thomas WAS at GB
Note: ***Another week on IR.***
34.*Tyler Kroft NYJ at NE
Note: (Back) Unable to practice Wednesday. ***Ruled out again this week.***
35.*George Kittle SF vs. IND
Note: ***Another week on IR.***

Flex (RB/WR/TE)

1.Derrick Henry TEN vs. KC
2.Jonathan Taylor IND at SF
3.Davante Adams GB vs. WAS
4.*Tyreek Hill KC at TEN
Note: Hill (quad) once again missed practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Like last week, Hill returned to a limited practice Friday and is listed as questionable, with the expectation that he'll play.***
5.DeAndre Hopkins ARZ vs. HOU
6.Aaron Jones GB vs. WAS
7.Alvin Kamara NO at SEA
8.*Travis Kelce KC at TEN
Note: Kelce (neck) has been limited at practice all week. ***Kelce was cleared from the injury list on Friday.***
9.Darrell Henderson LA vs. DET
10.Joe Mixon CIN at BAL
11.Cooper Kupp LA vs. DET
12.*Calvin Ridley ATL at MIA
Note: Ridley returned to practice Monday after sitting out Week 5 due to personal reasons.
13.Deebo Samuel SF vs. IND
14.*Terry McLaurin WAS at GB
Note: (Hamstring) Sat out practice Wednesday before returning to a limited practice Thursday. ***Practiced again on Friday and should play this week.***
15.Ja'Marr Chase CIN at BAL
16.*Courtland Sutton DEN at CLE
Note: Sutton had a whopping 14 targets in the loss to the Raiders.
17.*D'Andre Swift DET at LAR
Note: Swift received his usual limited reps in practice Wednesday and Thursday. ***Listed as questionable for the seventh week in a row.***
18.Leonard Fournette TB vs. CHI
19.Josh Jacobs LV vs. PHI
20.DJ Moore CAR at NYG
21.Mike Evans TB vs. CHI
22.*DK Metcalf SEA vs. NO
Note: I didn't downgrade Metcalf enough due to the QB change last week - this is a problem, with Metcalf likely drawing Marshon Lattimore this week. ***Metcalf was held out of practice Friday to rest his foot, but was removed from the injury list on Saturday.***
23.Cordarrelle Patterson ATL at MIA
24.Marquise Brown BAL vs. CIN
25.Robert Woods LA vs. DET
26.Chris Godwin TB vs. CHI
27.*Chuba Hubbard CAR at NYG
Note: Hubbard will start for at least two more weeks with CMC going on the IR before Week 6.
28.*Damien Harris NE vs. NYJ
Note: Harris was dealing with sore ribs heading into the Dallas game and then limped off late, ceding a TD carry to Rhamondre Stevenson. Watch his practice status carefully this week. Harris was not on the Patriots injury report Wednesday, a list that contained 16 players, so presumably he's clear to go this week.
29.*Darrel Williams KC at TEN
Note: To my eyes, Williams looked better than his 21-62 stat line suggests, though he had two touchdowns to provide a good fantasy day regardless.
30.*James Conner ARZ vs. HOU
Note: Conner could shoulder another heavy workload this week against the Texans.
31.*A.J. Brown TEN vs. KC
Note: Played through food poisoning to catch seven passes for 91 yards on Monday night. Brown is still dealing with the effects of food poisoning and sat out practice both Wednesday and Thursday. ***Full practice Friday.***
32.Mark Andrews BAL vs. CIN
33.DeVonta Smith PHI at LV
34.Tee Higgins CIN at BAL
35.Marquez Callaway NO at SEA
36.Jaylen Waddle MIA vs. ATL
37.Miles Sanders PHI at LV
38.J.D. McKissic WAS at GB
39.*Javonte Williams DEN at CLE
Note: Williams still has a near 50-50 split with Melvin Gordon - it would be more annoying, but Gordon is playing well too.
40.Tyler Lockett SEA vs. NO
41.*Michael Pittman IND at SF
Note: ***Teammate T.Y. Hilton has been ruled out. However, this game could be played in the midst of a rainstorm.***
42.*Henry Ruggs LV vs. PHI
Note: Ruggs (knee) practiced fully Thursday after being limited Wednesday.
43.*Elijah Mitchell SF vs. IND
Note: ***I'm a little worried that JaMycal Hasty will cut into Mitchell's workload.***
44.Tim Patrick DEN at CLE
45.Kyle Pitts ATL at MIA
46.Tyler Boyd CIN at BAL
47.Mike Davis ATL at MIA
48.*D'Ernest Johnson CLE vs. DEN
Note: Johnson is likely to start with both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt out with their respective calf injuries.
49.Brandin Cooks HOU at ARI
50.*Antonio Gibson WAS at GB
Note: Gibson underwent an MRI for a calf injury suffered late in the loss to the Chiefs. He's also still dealing with a shin issue. Sat out practice Wednesday, but returned in a limited capacity Thursday. ***Listed as questionable but expects to tough it out again this week.***
51.*Allen Robinson CHI at TB
Note: (Ankle) Sat out practice Wednesday, limited on Thursday. ***Limited again on Friday and listed as questionable, but he's expected to play.***
52.*T.J. Hockenson DET at LAR
Note: Hockenson was limited in practice with a knee issue Thursday. ***Limited practice again on Friday.***
53.Christian Kirk ARZ vs. HOU
54.Corey Davis NYJ at NE
55.*Darnell Mooney CHI at TB
Note: Mooney (groin) was limited in practice Thursday.
56.Jakobi Meyers NE vs. NYJ
57.*Alex Collins SEA vs. NO
Note: Collins is dealing with hip and glute injuries and his status is uncertain for this week. Collins is expected to practice Thursday. ***Collins didn't practice Thursday or Friday, but did practice Saturday and 'looked good,' and will play on Monday night. However, Rashaad Penny is expected to return this week, so it's uncertain how much playing time Collins will get.***
58.*Khalil Herbert CHI at TB
Note: Teammate Damien Williams remains on the COVID-IR until at least Saturday. ***Williams was activated from the COVID list on Saturday - I'll be honest, I don't how the playing time will be shared.***
59.AJ Dillon GB vs. WAS
60.Myles Gaskin MIA vs. ATL
61.*Devontae Booker NYG vs. CAR
Note: ***Saquon Barkley has officially been ruled out.***
62.Rondale Moore ARZ vs. HOU
63.Brandon Aiyuk SF vs. IND
64.Jamison Crowder NYJ at NE
65.*Robby Anderson CAR at NYG
Note: A late touchdown salvaged an otherwise miserable nightmare of a game for Anderson, who had multiple drops.
66.A.J. Green ARZ vs. HOU
67.*Devonta Freeman BAL vs. CIN
Note: Freeman was the lead back for the Ravens after Latavius Murray got hurt. If Murray sits, he'll probably share time with Lev Bell and Ty'Son Williams, who was a healthy scratch last week. Murray did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. ***Freeman is expected to start this week against the Bengals with Latavius Murray ruled out.***
68.Quez Watkins PHI at LV
69.Mecole Hardman KC at TEN
70.Hunter Renfrow LV vs. PHI
71.*Julio Jones TEN vs. KC
Note: Jones left Monday night's win with a hamstring injury. Sat out practice Wednesday, limited practice Thursday. ***Another limited practice Friday, and there's some optimism (per Ian Rapoport) that he'll play.***
72.*Sterling Shepard NYG vs. CAR
Note: Shepard (hamstring) was limited in practice on Thursday. ***Limited again on Friday and is a true game-time decision.***
73.*Noah Fant DEN at CLE
Note: Limited by a foot issue Monday and Tuesday, but should play Thursday night. Full practice Wednesday, cleared from the injury list.
74.*Mike Gesicki MIA vs. ATL
Note: Despite the Week 1 'make me sick-y' game, Gesicki is better off with Tua.
75.Michael Carter NYJ at NE
76.*Melvin Gordon DEN at CLE
Note: Gordon (hip) was a full participant in Tuesday's walkthrough.
77.Mark Ingram HOU at ARI
78.*Darren Waller LV vs. PHI
Note: ***Waller injured his inner ankle and heel in practice on Friday and 'doesn't feel great' - he's listed as questionable and will be a game-time decision on Sunday afternoon.***

Kickers

1.Justin Tucker BAL vs. CIN
2.Harrison Butker KC at TEN
3.Matt Prater ARZ vs. HOU
4.Daniel Carlson LV vs. PHI
5.Younghoe Koo ATL at MIA
6.Jason Myers SEA vs. NO
7.Ryan Succop TB vs. CHI
8.Chase McLaughlin CLE vs. DEN
9.*Nick Folk NE vs. NYJ
Note: Still being limited early in the week with a knee issue, but should still kick on Sunday. ***Folk is listed as questionable, but he's had that listing for multiple weeks now and has played.***
10.Mason Crosby GB vs. WAS
11.Matt Gay LA vs. DET
12.Evan McPherson CIN at BAL
13.Graham Gano NYG vs. CAR
14.Joey Slye SF vs. IND
15.Brandon McManus DEN at CLE
16.Jason Sanders MIA vs. ATL
17.*Michael Badgley IND at SF
Note: Added to the active roster after Blankenship went on the IR.
18.*Randy Bullock TEN vs. KC
Note: Picked up a shoulder issue but practiced fully on Thursday.
19.Jake Elliott PHI at LV
20.*Brian Johnson NO at SEA
Note: Johnson is currently the Saints kicker, but Wil Lutz (abdomen) might be able to return by Monday night.
21.Dustin Hopkins at
22.Zane Gonzalez CAR at NYG
23.Cairo Santos CHI at TB
24.Austin Seibert DET at LAR
25.Ka'imi Fairbairn HOU at ARI
26.Matt Ammendola NYJ at NE
27.*Rodrigo Blankenship IND at SF
Note: Blankenship (hip) was placed on the IR.

Defenses

1.Los Angeles Rams vs. DET
2.Arizona Cardinals vs. HOU
3.New Orleans Saints at SEA
4.Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. CHI
5.Baltimore Ravens vs. CIN
6.New England Patriots vs. NYJ
7.San Francisco 49ers vs. IND
8.Carolina Panthers at NYG
9.Green Bay Packers vs. WAS
10.*Cleveland Browns vs. DEN
Note: The Browns lost Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for four-to-six weeks with a bad ankle injury.
11.Miami Dolphins vs. ATL
12.Denver Broncos at CLE
13.Cincinnati Bengals at BAL
14.Indianapolis Colts at SF
15.Las Vegas Raiders vs. PHI
16.Seattle Seahawks vs. NO
17.New York Giants vs. CAR
18.*Chicago Bears at TB
Note: Robert Quinn went on the COVID-IR after testing positive.
19.New York Jets at NE
20.Atlanta Falcons at MIA
21.Philadelphia Eagles at LV
22.Kansas City Chiefs at TEN
23.Detroit Lions at LAR
24.*Tennessee Titans vs. KC
Note: Rookie Caleb Farley was placed on IR with a torn ACL. The Titans also lost Chris Jackson with a foot injury.
25.Washington Football Team at GB
26.*Houston Texans at ARI
Note: The Texans cut Whitney Mercilus as they continue to shed veterans.
Want to Read More?
Subscribe to RotoWire to see the full article.

We reserve some of our best content for our paid subscribers. Plus, if you choose to subscribe you can discuss this article with the author and the rest of the RotoWire community.

Get Instant Access To This Article Get Access To This Article
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NFL Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NFL fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Erickson
Jeff Erickson is a co-founder of RotoWire and the only two-time winner of Baseball Writer of the Year from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. He's also in the FSWA Hall of Fame. He roots for the Reds, Bengals, Red Wings, Pacers and Northwestern University (the real NU).
Box Score Breakdown: Week 15 Snaps, Routes, Personnel and Usage
Box Score Breakdown: Week 15 Snaps, Routes, Personnel and Usage
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings: Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 15
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings: Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 15
Monday Night Football DFS Breakdown: Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
Monday Night Football DFS Breakdown: Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
Monday Night Football DFS Breakdown: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Atlanta Falcons
Monday Night Football DFS Breakdown: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Atlanta Falcons