Young running backs were one of the storylines in Week 6, and they are a prominent storyline for Week 7. The first notable storyline this week, however, is a potential returning wide receiver.

Fantasy Football Storylines

Will Cooper Kupp return this week?

Cooper Kupp practiced on Monday and his participation in practice, or lack thereof, will determine his availability this week. He should immediately return to fantasy lineups if he is active.

According to the Fantasy Points data suite, among players with at least 25 routes in the first two weeks of this year, Kupp ranked 18th in air yard share (40.7%), second in target share (35.5%) and tied for first in objectives per route (0.39), first in first read percentage (52.1%) and second in expected half points per reception (half PPR) points per route (0.67).

Things are more difficult behind Kupp. Through Week 2, Demarcus Robinson was tied for first on the Rams in route participation (93.1%), Colby Parkinson was third (80.7%) and Tyler Johnson was fifth (67.5%). Johnson has now been phased out for Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington. Since Week 3, Robinson was first on the Rams in route participation (87.2%), Atwell second (82.6%), Parkinson third (78.9%) and Whittington fourth (72.5%). Interestingly, Robinson had the lowest targets per route (0.13), Atwell 0.22 and Whittington 0.27. Gamers who relied on one of LA’s backup pass catchers in Kupp’s absence shouldn’t start using them immediately, but they should bench them if possible to see how Sean McVay deploys them after Kupp returns.

Is Big Blue’s backfield ready to become a timeshare?

Tyrone Tracy has done everything the Giants could have asked him to do in Devin Singletary’s absence over the past two weeks. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), since Week 5, Tracy has fielded 35 of New York’s 42 rushing attempts by running backs, rumbling for 179 yards, 5.1 yards per carry one touchdown, 3.03 yards after contact per attempt and four missed tackles forced. Additionally, he played 61 passing snaps and ran 48 routes versus 29 and 19 for Eric Gray. The converted wideout had eight targets, seven receptions and 58 receiving yards.

According to Fantasy Points, Singletary has 3.95 yards per carry, 0.88 yards before contact per attempt, 3.07 yards after contact per attempt and a stuff rate of 53.6% vs. 4.43, 2.30, 2.13 and 47.8% for Tracy. So the rookie has done a better job of gaining yards before contact and avoiding getting stuffed. Tracy also has 1.43 yards per route this year, compared to 1.18 for Singletary.

Unsurprisingly, the converted wide receiver has more yards per route than Singletary. So it seems obvious that the rookie should be used more heavily as a pass catcher, but Singletary could be relied on more as a pass blocker in long down and yardage situations. However, Tracy was also more explosive as a runner and might have done enough to overtake Singletary as the front runner. Singletary is unlikely to disappear, but Tracy is the most exciting fantasy option going forward, and gamers without top-tier alternatives can use him as an RB2 against the Eagles this week even if Singletary returns from his groin injury.

Tampa Bay’s backfield has gotten messy

Through the first five weeks, Rachaad White was first in the Tampa Bay backfield in rush attempts (51), passing on snaps (137) and routes (105), but Bucky Irving had 44, 59 and 51. Irving was the more effective runner , and an upcoming table will show Tampa Bay’s rushing stats for this year’s running backs via Fantasy Points. It was a relatively simple two-man backfield, with White and Irving splitting the rushing duties and White doubling Irving on routes.

It’s about to become a three-headed monster.

The performance of RB Sean Tucker, who had 136 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and another receiving touchdown, means he will join Rachaad White and Bucky Irving more in the backfield. “It’s definitely worth it for him to be a three-headed monster,” coach Todd Bowles said of…

– Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) October 14, 2024

White was out in Week 6 with a foot injury and Sean Tucker made the most of his opportunity. Tucker had 14 rushes for a team-high 136 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, three targets, three receptions, 56 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Irving was no slouch either. The rookie running back had 14 rush attempts, 81 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, two targets, two receptions and 24 receiving yards.

When he returned to Tucker, he was decommissioned last season. Still, he almost certainly would have been drafted had he not had a heart condition. Tucker was productive during his college career at Syracuse, and he has legitimate juice. Meanwhile, White has struggled with efficiency as a runner in his professional career. As the following table shows, he is by far Tampa Bay’s least efficient runner this year.

White is a talented receiver and can add value through the air for the Bucs. Still, he no longer has any excuses for his inefficiency on the field, as Irving and Tucker have thrived behind the same offensive line. Additionally, while White is an above-average receiver, Irving and Tucker are no slouch. As a result, White is the least interesting player in Tampa Bay’s backfield, as the value he adds as a receiver could be outweighed by the message he would provide on defense if the Bucs used him almost entirely on passing plays.

The Bucs also have no reason to rush White back with his foot injury after Irving and Tucker excelled in his absence. It’s hard to trust any of Tampa Bay’s running backs this week when all three are active, but Irving and Tucker are more exciting bench options than White. Gamers in anything less than half a point of 14 teams per reception (half PPR) and PPR leagues can release White. It will be interesting to see how the Bucs rotate their running backs this week.

Josh Shepardson is a writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.