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Albert Lea fantasy football Est. 2007
FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Injury Status: Week 7

Thu Oct 21 10:54am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

This injury story remains too long for fantasy owners. The list isn't getting really any shorter - even with six teams in a bye this week! This is not a fun time to make a fantasy lineup for many owners. Injuries and byes are causing for some crazy lineups in Week 7. Hopefully, things aren’t too bad for you. Here is the latest. . . . .

Baker Mayfield, QB, Browns. Mayfield has been ruled out for the Week 7 game. He had been pushing to play with his shoulder injury, but the Browns ultimately decided to hold him out. Case Keenum will start for the Browns this week.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants. Barkley is doing some things on the side with trainers to start the week but is out of practice. It is a decent sign he is at least doing something. Plus, the Giants aren’t ruling him out just yet. We do think he will miss the game, though, giving Devontae Booker another starter. Barkley is probably a week or two away from playing.

Kenny Golladay, WR, Giants. Golladay missed last week because of a hyperextended knee. He remains out of practice and is expected to miss another week of action, barring a big turnaround late in the week.

Kadarius Toney, WR, Giants. Toney played last week on his ankle injury but didn’t last long, leaving the game early. He is out of practice to start the week and not looking good to play. He pushed it last week and had a setback in the game. Look for the Giants to give their young receiver a week or two off to get closer to full strength.

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Browns. Beckham has a shoulder sprain and is looking like a game-time decision for Week 7. He would have a better shot to play if the Browns didn’t have the Thursday night game. But the early-week game does not help his chances. We would get other options ready. And even if he is healthy, you might be better served going with other options. Beckham might be in and out of the game and has a backup quarterback throwing him passes.

Darius Slayton, WR, Giants. Slayton has missed the past three games because of a hamstring injury. He is back practicing some this week, though, and seems to be trending towards a return. As long as he keeps practicing, look for Slayton to return in Week 7. And the Giants need him because of other receivers that are banged up right now.

Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington. Gibson has been battling a shin injury in recent weeks and is now dealing with some sort of calf injury. He was out of practice to start the week, which is not a great sign. Keep an eye on the player notes for the latest, but get other options ready. Gibson is very iffy right now. J.D. McKissic might get a few more carries if Gibson is out. And rookie Jaret Patterson should get some carries as well. 

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts. Hilton made his season debut last week and had to leave the game early with another injury, hurting his quad. He is not practicing yet this week but is not being ruled out. He is looking like a game-time decision for Week 7. Hilton probably isn’t worth the risk for fantasy teams, though, because of the uncertainty surround the injury. Even if he plays, he is likely to be limited in the game.

Antonio Brown, WR, Bucs. Brown suffered a sprained ankle last week. He is out of practice right now and a little iffy to play Week 7. He is going to need to get in a little work before the week is out if he hopes to play. Keep an eye on the players notes for the latest on Brown. He is a must play if on the field, but get other options ready to be safe.

Latavius Murray, RB, Ravens. Murray is banged up with a sprained ankle, an injury that forced him from last week’s game. He is not practicing to start the week, which isn’t a good sign. Murray seems very iffy to play right now. Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell will likely get most of the work at running back if Murray is out, which seems likely.

Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington. Samuel made his season debut in Week 4 but quickly aggravated his groin injury. He has been out the last two weeks and remains out of practice. Samuel is expected to miss another game, barring a late-week turnaround. We aren’t sure when he is able to return to the lineup.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Broncos. Bridgewater has been limited in practice because of a foot injury, but is expected to play this week. He might be a little hobbled for the game, but should be healthy enough to start the Thursday game against a banged up Browns defense.   

Russell Gage, WR, Falcons. Gage has not played since Week 2 because of a sprained ankle. He has been practicing all week, though, and isn’t even listed on the Injury Report. He is fully expected to play and start for the Falcons in Week 7.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Bucs. Gronkowski has missed the last three games because of broken ribs and remains sidelined. He is not practicing and looks to miss another week of action. The good news is the Bucs claim he is making some progress, so a return to the lineup could happen in a few weeks. Stay tuned.

O.J. Howard, TE, Bucs. Howard had a breakout game last week but is battling a new injury. He was out of practice Wednesday because of a sprained ankle. We aren’t sure of the severity of the injury just yet, but get other options ready to be safe. Howard is iffy to play at the moment. Hopefully, he can get in some practice before the week is out to improve his chances to find the field.

Julio Jones, WR, Titans. Jones finally returned to the lineup last week after missing two straight games because of a hamstring injury. He wasn’t able to finish the game, though, aggravating his hamstring injury. He was out of practice to start the week, which is not encouraging for him to play Week 7. We would expect him to miss the game, but he hasn’t been ruled out just yet.

Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 49ers. Garoppolo is practicing on a limited basis to start the week. He is progressing well from his calf injury. Expectations are he will be ready to play this week and will start the Week 7 game. Plus, rookie Trey Lance has a knee injury and is not practicing right now, meaning he is not likely available to play. This makes the return of Garoppolo all the more important for the 49ers this week.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Deshaun Watson May 6 5:00pm ET
Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) has had well-documented struggles since being traded from the Houston Texans ahead of the 2022 season. He's appeared in just 12 games over the last two years, completing just under 60% of his passes for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. Those stats are far from his days of MVP contention with Houston, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry remains confident. "Obviously, he's been rehabbing the shoulder injury, but he is well on his way there and in a really strong spot," Berry said. "We do expect to hit the ground running on that side of the ball, and I know he is very excited about returning to the playing field and getting over this injury. We have high expectations for him and the offense this season."Watson missed Week 4, 6, and 8 last season and played just a handful of snaps in Week 7 before returning in Week 9. He was then placed on season-ending Injured Reserve ahead of Week 11. A combination of poor play and injuries has put a bleak outlook on his career, and 2024 could be his last chance to prove he belongs as a starter in Cleveland. All that said, backup quarterback Jameis Winston is an intriguing stash option in Superflex and dynasty leagues.

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Rachaad White May 6 4:40pm ET
Rachaad White

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White saw 75.3% of the team's running back carries and targets in 2023, but running back coach Skip Peete said there will be more competition for touches this season. Tampa Bay selected Oregon running back Bucky Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, while Chase Edmonds and 2023 undrafted free agent Sean Tucker remain on the roster. Ultimately, none of the running backs behind White are expensive investments for the organization, and it's always tricky to know whether a coach is being transparent or just trying to motivate the players in his position room. White was the RB4 overall (PPR) last season behind 990 rushing yards, 549 receiving yards, and nine total touchdowns. Although he could see his rushing volume take a hit, his receiving skill set that he's flashed since his collegiate career at Arizona State should keep him on the field for high-yield fantasy situations.

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Xavier Worthy May 6 4:40pm ET
Xavier Worthy

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy is coming along quickly at rookie minicamp, according to head coach Andy Reid. "I thought he did a nice job picking things up," Reid said "We asked him to do a whole lot of stuff there. He was put in mostly the primary spots, so it was good for him to get in there and move around a little bit." The speedster out of Texas recorded two touchdowns in 7-on-7 drills on Monday, according to ArrowHeadPride.com. This year's No. 28 overall pick will have sky-high expectations right away because of his situation with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his record-breaking 4.21 forty-yard dash at the NFL combine. However, Kansas City has a complex offense to learn, and the pass-catching trio of Travis Kelce, Marquise Brown, and Rashee Rice presents stiff target competition for Worthy in Year 1.

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Marlon Davidson May 6 4:30pm ET
Marlon Davidson

Free-agent defensive lineman Marlon Davidson has agreed to terms to sign with the Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport. The former First-Team All-SEC performer at Auburn was selected with the No. 47 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, but he played in just 19 games for the organization. After a brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers last offseason, he signed with the Titans as a member of the practice squad and ended up appearing in five games. Overall, the 25-year-old has accumulated 39 tackles, two sacks, one interception, two pass deflections, and three run stuffs through his first 24 NFL contests. He'll likely compete to be a rotational run-stopper after Tennessee selected Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Chris Godwin May 6 4:20pm ET
Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is moving back into the slot receiver role in 2024, according to his position coach, Bryan McClendon. Godwin, who has posted at least 1,000 receiving yards in four of his last five seasons, played just 32.1% of his snaps in the slot last year. In 2022, he lined up in the slot 57.6% of the time. The 28-year-old's 7.6 targets per game was his lowest clip since 2020, so perhaps a move back to his more natural position will see that figure come back toward the 9.0 per game range. Mike Evans remains in the X-role, while Trey Palmer and third-round rookie Jalen McMillan will compete to start in three-wide sets.

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Jeff Wilson May 6 2:50pm ET
Jeff Wilson

Miami Dolphins running back Jeff Wilson Jr. won't be assured of a roster spot out of training camp this summer as part of a crowded backfield that includes Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and rookie fourth-rounder Jaylen Wright. The Dolphins also have Salvon Ahmed and Chris Brooks in the RB room. Head coach Mike McDaniel has an affinity for Wilson dating back to their time together with the San Francisco 49ers, but the fact remains that Mostert, Achane and Wright will be locks for the roster. The former undrafted free agent out of North Texas failed to take advantage of Achane's injuries in 2023 and only played in 10 games (zero starts) himself, running for just 188 yards and no touchdowns on 41 carries while adding 14 receptions for 85 yards and no touchdowns.

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Wan'Dale Robinson May 6 2:40pm ET
Wan'Dale Robinson

Most of the beat writers for the New York Giants would be surprised if first-round rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers isn't the team's most targeted player right away in 2024, but Wan'Dale Robinson should give him a good race. A fully healthy Robinson should push for the team lead in targets, but it's obvious that Nabers, the sixth overall pick in this year's NFL draft, has much more fantasy upside, both in the short and long term. The Giants are going to need playmakers like Nabers and Robinson to step now that running back Saquon Barkley is no longer in town. The 23-year-old Robinson, who was a second-rounder in 2022, suffered an ACL tear in his rookie year before catching 60 of 78 targets for 525 yards and a touchdown in 15 games (eight starts) last year. There's potential for a Robinson to take a big step forward in 2024, but it will also depend on quarterback Daniel Jones' (knee) health.

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MarShawn Lloyd May 6 2:30pm ET
MarShawn Lloyd

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Zay Jones May 6 2:20pm ET
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Joe Burrow May 6 2:20pm ET
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) is back on the field during the team's offseason workouts. Burrow is expected to be cleared for full contact at some point this month, and barring any setbacks after having surgery in November to fix a torn ligament in his right wrist, he should be fully recovered in time for training camp in late July. The 27-year-old has developed somewhat of a reputation for being injury-prone early in his career, but when he's healthy, he also has high-end QB1 upside in an offense that remains explosive with receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The former first overall pick in 2020 out of LSU was a Pro Bowler in 2022 in his last full season, when he threw for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 16 starts. Burrow will be a fine QB1 target in fantasy after the top names come off the board.

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Rashaad Penny May 6 2:10pm ET
Rashaad Penny

Free-agent running back Rashaad Penny plans to sign an undisclosed deal with the Carolina Panthers, according to a source. The former first-round pick will reunite with head coach Dave Canales from their time together with the Seattle Seahawks. Penny will likely officially sign after the team's rookie minicamp, which wraps up on May 12. The 28-year-old from San Diego State was the 27th overall pick in 2018. Penny spent the first five years of his career in Seattle, displaying home run-hitting ability on the ground but struggling to stay healthy, appearing in just 42 games (11 starts). He played in just three games with the Eagles in 2023 and had only 11 carries for 33 yards. Penny will be joining another crowded backfield in Carolina that already consists of Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and rookie Jonathon Brooks, so he's not going to be on the fantasy radar.

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Jalen Guyton May 6 2:10pm ET
Jalen Guyton

The Las Vegas Raiders signed former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Jalen Guyton to an undisclosed deal on Monday. New Raiders general manager Tom Telesco also signed Guyton a few times when he was running the Chargers' front office. Guyton opened his last year with the Bolts in 2023 on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which caused him to miss the first eight games. When the 26-year-old returned, he had just 10 catches (21 targets) for 89 yards and a touchdown in eight games, even with Mike Williams (knee) missing most of the year with a season-ending injury. The former undrafted free agent out of North Texas can serve as a deep threat, but he's mostly served as receiving depth in his career and will continue to do so in Vegas behind Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker and Michael Gallup.

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Isaiah Davis May 6 12:16pm ET
Isaiah Davis

Dynasty | The New York Jets drafted running back Isaiah Davis in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: Davis has an uphill climb to a roster spot with the New York Jets after being taken in the fifth round. The Jets already have Breece Hall as their starter and also took Braelon Allen to shore up their backfield. Still, he has a chance and could surprise as a late-round small school prospect. While he may need to beat out Allen to earn a spot on the team, Davis should still be kept on watch lists for the time being.

Zay Jones May 6 12:13pm ET
Zay Jones

Free-agent WR Zay Jones (Jaguars) is visiting the Tennessee Titans, according to sources Monday, May 6.

From TheHuddle

Rashaad Penny May 6 12:13pm ET
Rashaad Penny

Free-agent RB Rashaad Penny (Eagles) plans to sign with the Carolina Panthers following rookie minicamp, according to sources Monday, May 6. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

Fantasy Spin: Penny has always had intrigue since he became a first-round pick in 2018. With Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks already there, Penny isn't anything more than a desperation flier at the end of the roster.

From TheHuddle

Marquez Valdes-Scantling May 5 9:20pm ET
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Free-agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is scheduled to visit the Chargers on Monday. The 29-year-old had six trips to the end zone in 2020 while still a member of the Green Bay Packers. Since then, he hasn't come close to that mark. He finished the 2023-24 campaign with Kansas City by posting career-lows in catches (21), receiving yards (315), and touchdowns (one). Valdes-Scantling's most notable contribution last season came in the postseason, with the 2018 No. 174 overall pick pulling in a 16-yard touchdown throw from Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs 25-22 overtime win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. Nonetheless, MVS will likely find work this season. But it will be difficult to tell how things will look from a fantasy standpoint until he inks a deal, although he could get looks from Justin Herbert if he signs with Los Angeles, considering the team no longer has Keenan Allen or Mike Williams on the roster.

From RotoBaller

Marquez Valdes-Scantling May 5 8:03pm ET
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Free-agent WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Chiefs) is scheduled to visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday, May 6, per source.

From TheHuddle

Duke Johnson May 5 4:33pm ET
Duke Johnson

Free-agent RB Duke Johnson (Bills) announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday, April 5.

From TheHuddle

Duke Johnson May 5 2:00pm ET
Duke Johnson

Running back Duke Johnson announced his retirement from professional football on Sunday. Johnson was originally taken in the third round (77th overall) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2015 NFL draft out of Miami. He spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Browns before spending two years with the Houston Texans. Johnson played for the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and the Buffalo Bills in the final year of his career in 2022. The 30-year-old wraps up his career having recorded 2,265 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 532 carries, adding 311 catches on 405 targets for 2,870 yards and an additional 12 touchdowns in 97 games (21 starts) covering eight seasons. Johnson had a career-high 410 rushing yards on 83 attempts in his first year in Houston in 2019.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott May 5 1:50pm ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas police will not pursue sexual-assault charges against Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, with a police spokesperson saying that detectives determined there was insufficient evidence an offense was committed. The case stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred in 2017 in which a woman said Prescott assaulted her in the back of an SUV in a strip club parking lot. In March, Prescott filed a suit seeking monetary relief in excess of $1 million after receiving a letter in January from attorneys on behalf of the woman that they would "forego pursuing criminal charges, along with disclosing this information to the public, in exchange for compensating her for the mental anguish she has suffered." It's unclear if the NFL is doing their separate investigation, but either way, it doesn't appear likely that Prescott will be in danger of facing a suspension from the league.

From RotoBaller