play0:41Why Smith-Njigba is a lock as a WR1 in Week 7Matt Bowen says Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a lock as a WR1 in Week 7 vs. the Texans.
play0:36Why Drake Maye’s fantasy stock is risingLiz Loza breaks down Drake Maye’s impressive recent fantasy production for the Patriots.
play1:13Why Justin Fields and the Jets should stay on fantasy sidelinesTristan Cockcroft explains why Justin Fields remains a matchup-driven option after his lowest fantasy output of the season.
play0:42Should fantasy managers start Quinshon Judkins in Week 7?Matt Bowen details why Quinshon Judkins is still valuable on fantasy rosters this week vs. the Dolphins, despite his season low against the Steelers.
Is Rico Dowdle’s fantasy production sustainable? (1:35)Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down whether Rico Dowdle can maintain his current fantasy output. (1:35)
Why Smith-Njigba is a lock as a WR1 in Week 7Matt Bowen says Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a lock as a WR1 in Week 7 vs. the Texans.
Why Drake Maye’s fantasy stock is risingLiz Loza breaks down Drake Maye’s impressive recent fantasy production for the Patriots.
Why Justin Fields and the Jets should stay on fantasy sidelinesTristan Cockcroft explains why Justin Fields remains a matchup-driven option after his lowest fantasy output of the season.
Tristan Cockcroft explains why Justin Fields remains a matchup-driven option after his lowest fantasy output of the season.
Should fantasy managers start Quinshon Judkins in Week 7?Matt Bowen details why Quinshon Judkins is still valuable on fantasy rosters this week vs. the Dolphins, despite his season low against the Steelers.
Matt Bowen details why Quinshon Judkins is still valuable on fantasy rosters this week vs. the Dolphins, despite his season low against the Steelers.
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. CockcroftOct 12, 2025, 05:23 PM ET
Week 6 of the 2025 fantasy football season featured several big performances and also quite a few disappointing ones.
Matt Bowen says Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a lock as a WR1 in Week 7 vs. the Texans.
Liz Loza breaks down Drake Maye’s impressive recent fantasy production for the Patriots.
Why Justin Fields and the Jets should stay on fantasy sidelines
This game was a statistical nightmare. Fields’ 4.90 fantasy points were his worst in any game he played to completion since his 1.16 in Week 7 of 2021, the fifth career start during his rookie campaign. The Jets totaled 24.5 PPR fantasy points from their skill-position players (QB, RB, WR and TE), the fewest by any team in a game since the Arizona Cardinals totaled 17.2 in a 27-0 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 9 of the 2023 season, in Clayton Tune’s only career NFL start. — Cockcroft
Should fantasy managers start Quinshon Judkins in Week 7?
6. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns: Judkins had a season-worst 3.6 points in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers. Judkins had 12 carries, but he averaged 3.0 yards per rush and failed to record a reception for the first time this season. With Pittsburgh controlling the line of scrimmage, plus Cleveland’s lack of explosive play ability, Judkins was a nonfactor. He’ll look to rebound next week with a positive run game matchup versus the Dolphins. — Bowen
What we know: Egbuka departed the game because of a hamstring injury in the second half versus the 49ers, and he did not return. Egbuka finished with two catches (on four targets) for 24 yards.
What’s next:If Egbuka is out for the Week 7 game at Detroit, he would potentially join Mike Evans (hamstring), Chris Godwin, Jr. (fibula) and Jalen McMillan (neck) as Tampa receivers who are out because of injuries. Managers will need to stay on top of the injury reports out of Tampa this week, as Sterling Shepard and Tez Johnson could serve as streaming options versus the Lions. — Bowen
What we know: Harrison left the game because of a head injury in the second quarter versus the Colts, and he was eventually declared out because of a concussion. Before exiting, Harrison caught both of his targets for 32 yards (5.2 points).
What’s next: If Harrison is out for Week 7, managers can pick up Cardinals wide receiver Zay Jones for the matchup versus the Packers. Jones’ usage increased with Harrison out, catching five of eight targets for 79 yards (12.2 points). And Jones is available in over 90% of ESPN leagues. –Bowen
What we know: He suffered a lower leg injury while falling hard on the ground while attempting a second-quarter catch in the end zone. Though he returned to the game in the third quarter, he played only seven more offensive snaps. Rams coach Sean McVay said afterward that Nacua has an ankle injury that casts doubt on the star receiver’s status for Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
What’s next: The Rams couldn’t get much done passing without Nacua, as Tyler Higbee scored a team-best 10.6 PPR fantasy points after the injury. Davante Adams would step up as Matthew Stafford’s top target, with Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, if Nacua can’t play. — Cockcroft
What we know: He injured his knee shortly before halftime, and despite briefly returning multiple times during the second and early part of the third quarters, he was removed from the game for good early in the fourth quarter.
What’s next: The severity of Njoku’s injury is unknown, so he’ll be a player to monitor entering the practice week. Rookie Harold Fannin Jr., who has more targets (37), receptions (28) and PPR fantasy points (59.8) than Njoku (36, 23 and 51.3), would benefit most and elevate to fantasy TE1 status for Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, should Njoku miss additional time. — Cockcroft
1. Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers: Wow, 32-plus PPR fantasy points in back-to-back weeks, and this from a player who was available in 85% of ESPN leagues at the beginning of the month. Dowdle has totaled 66.3 points, 10 explosive runs, 140 more rushing yards than expected, and a 60.4% rushing success rate in his two starts, filling in for the injured Chuba Hubbard (calf). Though that’s a wholly unsustainable level of performance, not to mention Hubbard is important enough to the Panthers’ offense to reclaim at least some semblance of his former starting role, there’s no question that Dowdle has a clear place in this backfield. If he gets the call against the Jets again in Week 7, he’d be a fantasy RB1. — Cockcroft
2. De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins: He’s doing remarkably well for a running back on a team that has averaged only 289 total yards per game while running 57% of its offensive plays while trailing on the scoreboard. Achane scored a season-best 31.0 PPR fantasy points, thanks in large part to his top-shelf speed — his 13.8 mph average speed, per Next Gen Stats, is fastest among running backs with at least 20 carries — and contributions in the receiving game. His team’s struggles and likelihood of being trade deadline sellers make Achane more risk/reward than you might want from a fantasy RB1, but he has the skills to finish 2025 as one. — Cockcroft
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks: Smith-Njigba scored a season-high 30.2 points against the Jacksonville defense in the Week 6 win. Smith-Njigba, who caught eight of a team-high 13 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown, showed his traits at every level of the route tree, including his scoring grab on a 61-yard vertical throw. Smith-Njigba has now posted 20 or more points in three of his past four games. He’ll remain a solid WR1 — even in a tough matchup — for the Week 7 game versus Houston. — Bowen
6. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers: For the second consecutive game, Jacobs exceeded 30 PPR fantasy points; his 32.0 on Sunday coming after the 31.7 he had the week before the Packers’ Week 5 bye. This was Jacobs’ best game yet in 2025, as he averaged 5.2 yards per carry, had four explosive runs and continued to hold the crown as the best goal-line running back in football, turning a 3-yard opportunity into a score in the second quarter. He’s the NFL’s leader with 46 carries, 18 touchdowns and a 5.0 yards-per-carry average on goal-to-go plays since the beginning of last season. Jacobs should continue to perform like an RB1 against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7. — Cockcroft
7. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys: Pickens’ 31.8 points led all wide receivers through the early window, when he caught nine passes for 168 yards and a touchdown in the Week 6 loss to the Panthers. Pickens showcased his playmaking traits here, plus we saw how quickly he can get up to top speed on his touchdown catch. Take the slant route and erase the defensive angles after the catch. With at least one touchdown reception in five straight games, Pickens will be in the WR1 discussion for the Week 7 game versus Washington if CeeDee Lamb (ankle) is still out. — Bowen
8. Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers: If Week 6 was any indication, there was little doubt as to who is the Chargers’ No. 1 running back in Omarion Hampton’s (ankle) absence. Vidal played 68% of the offensive snaps, had 18 of the team’s 24 rushing attempts and totaled 21 touches to Hassan Haskins’ six, scoring a career-best 22.8 PPR fantasy points. Vidal had four explosive runs and 58 more rushing yards than expected, per Next Gen Stats. He needs to be added in the remaining 72.9% of ESPN leagues in which he’s available, even with his next opponent, the Indianapolis Colts, having performed well against running backs the past three weeks (17.7 PPR FPTS per game allowed). — Cockcroft
9. Drake Maye, QB; Kayshon Boutte, WR, New England Patriots: Maye scored a season-high 27.24 in Sunday’s win over the Saints, and he was dialed in as a thrower. Maye completed 18 of 26 passes for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns, and he also added 28 yards rushing on nine carries. Boutte caught all five of his targets in this one for 93 yards, with two of those receptions going for touchdowns. Maye will remain a QB1 with a positive Week 7 matchup versus the Titans, while Boutte, who is available in over 90% of ESPN leagues, could be a potential waiver pickup/streaming option in deeper formats. — Bowen