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Week 7 fantasy must-adds, from JuJu Smith-Schuster to Tyrone Tracy
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Week 7 fantasy must-adds, from JuJu Smith-Schuster to Tyrone Tracy

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Tuesday newsletters are for fantasy. If you read last Tuesday, you were rewarded with Chase Brown (13.4 half PPR points) and hopefully bought low for Najee Harris (19.2). Today:


Week 7 renounces, buys and sells

The theme of my fantasy football week was irrational suffering. Irrational because I started Zack Moss, and suffering because I also put my trust in Trey Sermon. Hoping you did better. Furthermore:

My players you need to add, assuming Raiders RB Alexander Mattison is unavailable:

No. 1: Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. With Rashee Rice permanently ruled out for the season, Smith-Schuster should be the biggest beneficiary. Last week’s seven-catch, 130-yard performance reminded me of his 2022 season in Kansas City, when he finished as a top-30 receiver. He may still be available in your league as his bye falls in Week 6. Pounce.

No. 2A: Giants RB Tyrone Tracy. He had 23 touches as New York’s leading RB, totaling 107 yards and a touchdown. The fifth-round rookie has looked great (watch every touch here) and should see at least 10 touches per game when Devin Singletary returns, although Tracy could overtake him.

No. 2B: Chargers RB Kimani Vidal. With Gus Edwards on the IR, Vidal rotated in with JK Dobbins (who told AJ Ross he sees greatness in the rookie). Vidal played just 19 of 78 snaps, but impressed in short-yardage work, taking his first touch for a 38-yard touchdown. If Dobbins misses time, Vidal is a top-15 option. For now, he’s a timeshare handcuff.

No. 3: Buccaneers RB Sean Tucker. He would be higher if it weren’t for the rest of the committee: Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. Still, Tucker — a talented prospect, undrafted due to a heart condition — was so good on Sunday (14 carries for 136 yards, three catches for 56 yards and two total touchdowns) that there’s a non-zero chance he becomes the starter before the season. end. Carrots for him.

No. 4: 49ers RB Isaac Guerendo. If starter Jordan Mason misses time (he’s currently on a day-to-day basis), Guerendo would be the primary defender. While he recorded 10 carries for 99 yards on Thursday, he joined Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Brian Robinson Jr. as the only 225-pound plus RBs to hit over 20 MPH during a run. Even if Mason plays, you can expect Guerendo to play a role.

Deeper competitions: Broncos WR Devaugh Vele had a team-high 78 receiving yards and should see more snaps in the future. Saints WR Bub Means had five catches, 45 yards and a touchdown while filling in for Chris Olave (concussion), who could miss Thursday’s game, as could Rasheed Shaheed (knee). And Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra caught four passes for 67 yards after replacing an injured Dallas Goedert (hamstring).

I buy: Raiders TE Brock Bowers. Given the positional scarcity at tight end, it’s difficult to overpay for Bowers. He looks like an elite WR, averaging a 30 percent target share in games without Davante Adams. He caught nine of 10 targets for 71 yards despite facing a Steelers defense focused on stopping him. Currently the TE2 (see below), Bowers looks like a league winner.

I sell: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray. KC Joyner’s Week 6 Fantasy Recap convinced me: “In 2022 and 2023, Murray ranked last in vertical passing points per game. As of Week 3 this season, Murray ranks 26th in vertical PPG. He is also one of 13 quarterbacks with four games of 15 or fewer points and the Cardinals’ coverage schedule for the remainder of the season is not favorable. I hope Murray has another strong rushing game soon and then trade him.

Fantasy Football Season Leaders (PPR)

Position Player Points per game

QB

23.9

RB

22.8

WR

20.7

AT

17.3

Thoughts vs. Reality: When Should You Start Nick Chubb?

Thought: Should I start Nick Chubb in his return? Reality: Yes. Chubb has been practicing for the past two weeks and is expected to be added to the active roster on Oct. 16, about a year after the devastating knee injury. The most likable player in the NFL starts on a committee with D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong, but has to part ways quickly. Here’s Chubb at practice earlier this month:

He suffered a similar injury in college in Georgia. In his first game back, he posted 222 yards and two touchdowns on a season-high 32 carries. Most players would step up. Not Chubb most players. Treat him accordingly.

Thought: I need to trade for a WR. Reality: Go for high risk, high reward. I would focus on the two Dolphins receivers, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. They’re underperforming their sky-high draft capital for a fantasy manager who’s probably had enough. But after HC Mike McDaniel told reporters yesterday that he expects QB Tua Tagovailoa to return in 2024, time may be running out to buy the dip on two stars.

Thought: Brandon Aiyuk is disappointing. Should I buy low? Reality: Probably not. As Jake Ciely explains, Aiyuk’s only game with more than 10 goals came against a Cardinals defense that often had one defenseman or no one deep. Other teams have been smarter and held back to keep coverage over the top. “If teams start playing this style to contain Aiyuk and keep everything under control, he will remain more of a WR3 with some big weeks, but some decent, not great weeks,” Jake wrote, adding a return of Christian McCaffrey to. would help.

Thought: When will Christian McCaffrey (and Cooper Kupp) actually return? Reality: Kupp had a positive workout yesterday and should be back training soon. The Rams are looking for a “return to performance,” according to HC Sean McVay, and will not force Kupp to play the Raiders on Sunday. As for the bad news, Dane Martinez’s Buy and Sell column shared his belief that the most likely outcome is that McCaffrey returns sometime in November, two to three weeks before the fantasy playoffs.

For more:


What Dianna heard: Tom Brady: Finally an NFL owner

It happens. Tom Brady’s bid to become minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders is expected to be approved Today at the NFL’s fall owners meetings in Atlanta, according to league sources.

The league’s finance committee approved Brady’s bid, which is expected to receive the necessary 24 of 32 votes. Brady and his business partner Tom Wagner plan to buy an approximately 10 percent stake in the franchise.

As our Tashan Reed reported, Richard Seymour, one of Brady’s teammates on the New England Patriots – and a former Raiders defensive lineman – has also been approved to purchase a minority stake in the franchise. The fellow Hall of Famer’s bid is also expected to be approved on Tuesday.

🎧 The last of the Scoop City podcast: The Lions’ next moves after losing Aidan Hutchinson to injury (around the 34 minute mark).

Back to you, Jacob.


Around the NFL

Bill Belichick on Monday criticized the New York Jets’ decision to fire coach Robert Saleh, describing the move as a “little early” and launching an attack on team owner Woody Johnson.

Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh plans to wear a heart monitor after arrhythmia treatment but will continue coaching. “It would cost my heart not to be on the sidelines,” Harbaugh said.

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni apologized for yelling at local fans: “My energy should be all about coaching and celebrating with our guys,” he said. “I need to have better wisdom and discernment about when to use it, and that wasn’t the right time.”

Colts QB Anthony Richardson is “very close” to a return and is expected to start Sunday against Miami, according to HC Shane Steichen.

Most clicked yesterday: Mike Sando is exploring all available options for the Browns to acquire Deshaun Watson.


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(Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images)