| | | | Friday, October 23, 2020 | | First off, head's up: The Buccaneers and Raiders game was moved to 4:05 p.m. EST Sunday, with the Cardinals and Seahawks taking over the 8:20 slot. That doesn't have huge ramifications for Fantasy on its own, but it could if the Raiders end up with a COVID outbreak, and concerns about that are the reason for the change. Trent Brown was placed on the COVID/Reserve list earlier this week after a positive test and the rest of the starting offensive line joined him after contact tracing indicated they had close contact with him. | | What does that mean? It means we've got another potential headache on our hands. If the Raiders manage to avoid any further positive tests between now and Sunday, they'll play as scheduled — but Josh Jacobs may be running into one of the best defenses in the league with a bunch of backups blocking for him, which isn't ideal. They could all be cleared to play before then, of course, but the game could also be postponed or even rescheduled if the outbreak spreads. | | You know what that looks like already, because we've done this a few times already — they'll try to play Monday or Tuesday, but will push the game back if need be, which means keeping up with the news will be key. I'll have the latest for you on this situation Sunday morning, but start making alternate plans for the likes of Jacobs, Darren Waller, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and the rest. | | In today's newsletter, we've got a recap of Thursday's game between the Eagles and Giants, which was certainly a game between the Eagles and Giants on a Thursday night in 2020 — though, in all seriousness, it was actually a pretty interesting game for Fantasy, so read on for more. And then catch up with everything you need to know from around the NFL with my Week 7 game previews. It's got a breakdown of each game's betting implications, the toughest lineup call and one thing to watch for, plus the latest on injuries for every team. And, with Michael Thomas (ankle/hamstring), Joe Mixon (foot), and Jamison Crowder (groin) among those surprisingly sitting out practice, there's a lot you need to know about. | | And, as always, if you want to send in a question — about your lineup, about trade offers, about life — hit me up at [email protected] with the subject line "#AskFFT " and you may find an answer in Sunday morning's newsletter. Make sure you leave no stone unturned in your quest to set the perfect lineup with everything our Fantasy team has produced for Week 7: Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | Starts & Sits, Sleepers & Risks | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | Matchup Notes | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: QB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: RB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: WR | PPR Cheat Sheet | Non-PPR Cheat Sheet | Waiver Wire | Biggest Questions | Trade Values Chart | Cut List | | | | TNF Recap: Eagles 22, Giants 21 | | | | It could've been uglier, but it could've been a lot prettier, too. Daniel Jones gave us something to be excited about on his 80-yard run — not a typo, and please go check out the highlight if you haven't seen it yet. I don't want to spoil how it ends. Unfortunately, Jones continues to have trouble protecting the football, turning it over two more times in the loss. It's flashes of good, but not quite good enough, with a supporting cast that just doesn't help him out enough. | | Injuries: Devonta Freeman (ankle) — Didn't return after leaving the game with the injury. The extent of the issue isn't known at this point … DeSean Jackson (leg) — Had to be helped off the field and couldn't put any weight on his leg, which was in a walking boot after the game. A tough break for a guy who just can't seem to stay healthy anymore. The big takeaway: If Boston Scott gets another start for the Eagles, he deserves another start for your Fantasy team. Week 1 was a significant disappointment, and it's not like Scott was tremendous in this game, but he showed exactly why this offense is so good for running backs. Scott rushed for 46 yards and added 46 more in the passing game, and had some opportunities in the red zone, but the biggest impact came on his game-winning 18-yard touchdown, a contested catch on an over-the-shoulder throw that he brought in at the goal line. The Eagles love to throw the ball to their running backs, they're happy to use them down the field, and that's a very valuable role. Carson Wentz and Miles Sanders have missed on a few of those opportunities, but they are a big part of why I believed in Sanders as a first-round pick coming into the season and still do. Possible waiver adds: Wayne Gallman (3%) — Gallman was the primary option when Freeman went down, rushing for 34 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown and adding five receptions for 20 yards on five targets. Gallman isn't particularly exciting, and this offense is pretty bad, but if he's starting in Week 8 against the Buccaneers, he could be low-end starting option … Sterling Shepard (27%) — Shepard is the Giants most well-rounded receiver, so it was good to see him step into eight targets in his return from a toe injury. He caught six of them for 59 yards and a touchdown and might be the best Fantasy option on this team if he stays healthy … Richard Rodgers (4%) — You can't even say the Eagles "didn't miss" Zach Ertz (ankle) in this one, because he hasn't given them any reason to miss him. Rodgers stepped up and gave the kind of performance we've been hoping to see from Ertz all season, catching six of eight targets for 85 yards. With Ertz and Dallas Goedert (ankle) likely out for multiple weeks still, Rodgers becomes an intriguing tight end on waivers. | | | | Week 7 Game Previews: Injury updates, what to watch and more | | | | All lines from William Hill Sportsbook. For more game-by-game Fantasy advice, check out Dave Richard's Week 7 preview and Frank Stampfl's matchup notes for a ton of useful information on every game. "The line wants us to believe" analysis from Dave Richard. | | On bye: Colts, Dolphins, Vikings, Ravens | | Steelers at Titans — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: Titans -1.0; o/u 50.5 Implied totals: Steelers 24.75, Titans 25.75 The line wants us to believe: The Titans are for real. This line opened with Pittsburgh as the favorite but fell once Maurkice Pouncey and Mike Hilton missed practice on Wednesday. Tack those absences on to Devin Bush out of the middle of the Steelers defense and suddenly there's optimism the Titans can compete. I'm worried about the Titans O-line playing well with Taylor Lewan on the shelf. Toughest lineup decision: Steelers WR — Sit. Chase Claypool has emerged the past two weeks, but that came with Diontae Johnson limited in one game and out for another. Johnson is back this week, and he was the team's No. 1 target when healthy earlier in the season. The fact is, the Steelers have been spreading the ball around so much, it's hard to know what the hierarchy is, and that uncertainty is bad news in what isn't a great matchup. What we're watching for: Well … how do the Steelers use their wide receivers? There's no doubting the talent here — I'd be happy to start any of Claypool, Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster or James Washington if you could guarantee eight targets — but we need clarity on roles. There are simply too many mouths to feed in a pretty low-volume pass offense. This isn't the old Steelers. Injuries: Diontae Johnson (back) — Full practice both days, as he's on his way toward a return after missing one game … Jonnu Smith (ankle) — Full practice, which should mean he'll play as long as he avoids a setback … A.J. Brown (knee) — Brown wasn't on the injury report Wednesday, so it's concerning to see that he didn't practice at all Thursday. He'll be one of the key players to watch in Friday's practice sessions. | | Cowboys at Washington — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: PICK; o/u 46.0 Implied totals: Cowboys 23.0, Washington 23.0 The line wants us to believe: That these are evenly matched teams. There can't be many people who think Washington is a good team. They know about Dallas' receivers and running back and they'll figure they're the better squad. It's a trap! Washington's pass rush will be the difference in this game, but the Football Team's running backs aren't exactly terrible. Toughest lineup decision: Antonio Gibson — Start. On our Twitch stream Thursday afternoon, Heath Cummings said he thinks this is Gibson's breakout game, and given the matchup, it's certainly possible. I'm more apprehensive about the prospect, given that Gibson's role hasn't really grown as the season has gone on, but he is the clear top runner in this offense and he has five targets in three straight games, so the matchup is too much to ignore. Here's hoping Heath is right! What we're watching for: Can the Cowboys get anything going with their patchwork offensive line? I don't really track offensive line injuries in this newsletter, but Zack Martin and Brandon Knight have both missed Wednesday's and Thursday's practices, and this line already has Cameron Erving, Tyron Smith, and Joe Looney on IR. Washington's strength on defense is their line, so it could be another long day for Andy Dalton, CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. Cooper and Lamb are still No. 2 WR for Fantasy, but they're a lot riskier than we thought they would be even a week ago. Injuries: Logan Thomas (neck) — Full practice Thursday, a good sign after he was held out Wednesday. He's an intriguing streamer against the Cowboys … | | Bills at Jets — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: Jets +12.5; o/u 45.0 Implied totals: Bills 28.75, Jets 16.25 The line wants us to believe: Buffalo's last two losses don't matter because the Jets are roadkill. It's a pretty believable statement. I'm kind of shocked it's ONLY 13 points. Buffalo's defense and run game need a get-right matchup. This is it. Toughest lineup decision: Devin Singletary — Start. It probably isn't a particularly tough decision, but Singletary has been pretty disappointing lately, managing just 78 yards on 23 touches over the past two weeks. However, the Jets are the get-right team for everyone they see, and you might even want to use Zack Moss as a low-end option with upside this week. What we're watching for: Can Josh Allen stop this mini slide? He's still been decent for Fantasy, but Allen has looked a lot more like the 2019 version of himself the past two weeks, and he was plain bad in Week 6 against the Chiefs. As we saw, the rushing upside makes him a viable starting QB for Fantasy even if the passing regresses, but it sure would be nice to see a replay of his 312-yard, three-total-touchdown game against the Jets earlier this season. Injuries: John Brown (knee) — Brown played through the injury Monday night and clearly wasn't right. Now it looks like it might cost him another game … Sam Darnold (shoulder) — Limited at practice both days, a legitimate question mark to return. … Jamison Crowder (groin) — Did not practice Thursday after showing up limited Wednesday, which is a bad sign. If Crowder doesn't play, there might not be a single starting-caliber option on this roster in a 12-team league. | | Panthers at Saints — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: Saints -7.5; o/u 51.0 Implied totals: Panthers 21.75, Saints 29.25 The line wants us to believe: The 3-2 Saints are superior to the 3-3 Panthers. This is a steep number for the Saints — they haven't beaten anyone by seven or more since Week 1. Guess what? It's designed to be that way. Even without Michael Thomas back, potentially, the defense is rested and Drew Brees is ready and they're about to land a blowout win. Toughest lineup decision: Emmanuel Sanders — Start. I don't want to imply Sanders is a must-start if Thomas is out, because this actually looks like a very tough matchup — the Panthers allow just 6.1 yards per pass attempt, significantly lower than the Rams second-lowest mark of 6.5. However, Sanders should get plenty of volume as the No. 1 option — well, behind Alvin Kamara. What we're watching for: We've seen a bit of a convergence in the roles of Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore of late — Moore is starting to see more targets closer to the line of scrimmage, while Anderson is starting to see more looks down the field. Both look like solid starting Fantasy options, but Anderson looked like a lot more than that for the first five games because he was getting some many of those short- and intermediate-area targets. That's the more valuable role in this offense. Injuries: Michael Thomas (hamstring/ankle) — It sounds like Thomas suffered the hamstring injury during Wednesday's practice, which is never what you want to see. At this point, he seems like a real long shot to play, though it isn't definitive, obviously … Curtis Samuel (knee) — Limited at practice Wednesday and Thursday. | | Packers at Texans — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: Texans +3.5; o/u 57.0 Implied totals: Packers 30.25, Texans 26.75 The line wants us to believe: The Packers will struggle to bounce back from last week. I'm buying the over — while its offense is great, Houston's defense is totally corrupted. Green Bay should absolutely play with a chip on its shoulder. I don't think the Texans are getting quite enough points at home, though. Aaron Jones should have a big game. Toughest lineup decision: Brandin Cooks — Start. We've gotten a ton of questions about Cooks this week, but I'm starting him with confidence. The Packers have allowed the 10th-fewest Fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, but they've done that while facing the Lions without Kenny Golladay, Saints without Michael Thomas, and Falcons without Julio Jones and with an obviously limited Calvin Ridley. This defense is a paper tiger, and I'm starting both Cooks and Will Fuller. What we're watching for: How does the Packers offense bounce back? Aaron Rodgers had been playing lights out the first four games but stumbled badly in Week 6 against the Buccaneers, falling back on some of the bad habits that limited his production the past few years — the lazy back-foot throws like the pick-six, and the four throwaways on 35 pass attempts. Rodgers needs to have confidence in his non-Davante Adams receivers; let's hope last week didn't shake that. Injuries: Jordan Akins (concussion/ankle) — Did not practice, looks like we're getting another Darren Fells week. He's a viable streamer. | | Browns at Bengals — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: Bengals +3.0; o/u 50.5 Implied totals: Browns 26.75, Bengals 23.75 The line wants us to believe: This will be a close, high-scoring game. Weren't the Browns a playoff darling two weeks ago? Now they're supposed to struggle against the Bengals?! Cincinnati's offense has been evolving. Its defense? Not so much. The fishy line is the total — no one should think about taking the over, which means you should. This could end up as a Fantasy bonanza with all the key players being decent. Toughest lineup decision: Giovani Bernard — Start if Joe Mixon is out. It's pretty simple, actually — as Heath Cummings' noted in his running back preview column, Bernard has double-digit carries in seven games since Mixon was drafted in 2017 and has double-digit PPR points in all seven; he has 19 or more in four of seven. What we're watching for: Was last week the start of A.J. Green's turnaround? This passing game would be a bit more frustrating for Fantasy if that were the case, because there hasn't been much difference in targets for Green, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. If Green can be a productive contributor moving forward, that probably puts a ceiling on all three as No. 3 WR options for Fantasy. Injuries: Joe Mixon (foot) — It doesn't sound like Mixon is in a walking boot, but he's missed two days of practice in a row, so obviously we're concerned. Friday will be pivotal, though they've said in the past he can play without practicing, so we may not really know until Sunday. If Giovani Bernard is available in your league, add him, whether you have MIxon or not … | | Lions at Falcons — Sunday, 1:00 p.m. | | Line: Falcons -2.5; o/u 55.0 Implied totals: Lions 26.25, Falcons 28.75 The line wants us to believe: The Falcons are back! But they're only two points better than the Lions?! I gotta tell you, this feels like a suspect line for sure. But the way Julio Jones played last week makes me think this offense can hit four touchdowns as its implied team total suggests. I'm struggling to see the Lions post more than three scores for the second week in a row on the road. If it's a trap, I'm falling into it. Toughest lineup decision: D'Andre Swift — Start. I'm a little worried this is like when Leonard Fournette had two drives where he dominated the ball late in Week 2 and everyone assumed he had usurped Ronald Jones for the No. 1 role there. One key difference is that Swift clearly stands out in the passing game, so we know he has that role, and the Lions clearly trust him in the red zone — six of his 26 rush attempts have been in the red zone, while three of his 20 targets. If 10 carries becomes his floor moving forward, he's going to be a weekly Fantasy starter, but the matchup against the Falcons makes him one for Week 7 even without certainty about his role. What we're watching for: Can Matthew Stafford start to turn it on? Stafford was the No. 2 QB in Fantasy points per game in 2019, largely thanks to a more aggressive approach that saw him put up a 10.6 average intended air yards per attempt, one of the highest marks in the league. Stafford was pushing the ball down the field consistently in a way that he hasn't really done so far this season. If he doesn't do it against the Falcons, then maybe it's time to give up hope. Injuries: Calvin Ridley (elbow) — Limited at practice again. We've been given no reason to think this will keep him out, but keep an ear out Friday … Julio Jones (hamstring) — Given that Jones played when he seemed like something of a long shot this time last week tells me he's likely to play again this week, and well … Marvin Jones (knee) — Limited at practice after missing Wednesday's. Not that you're starting him as anything but a desperation play even against this defense. | | Buccaneers at Raiders — Sunday, 4:05 p.m. | | With the Raiders COVID concerns, this game is too all over the place to really spend much time on right now. I'll write the preview as if the game is going to get played, but with the Raiders entire offensive line on the COVID/reserve list and the possibility of rescheduling or postponement looming, you might want to start planning as if this game won't happen, just in case. | | Line: Off the board Implied totals: Off the board The line wants us to believe: I think Tom Brady can be good, but I'm not sure if he can be great. I'm also not sure if he'll need to be great in order for the Bucs to win. His receivers aren't at 100% and he's handing off to one of the league's hottest running backs in Ronald Jones . Considering that the Raiders run defense is tied for eighth in yards per carry allowed (4.8) and tied for first in rushing touchdowns allowed (10), it wouldn't be surprising in the least to see the Bucs try to hammer the Raiders with the run. If Las Vegas can respond against the Bucs defense, then this could be a shoot-out and Brady could score three times. If Las Vegas can't, then Brady may end up with a stat line similar to what we've seen in Weeks 5 and 6, not 3 and 4. Toughest lineup decision: Josh Jacobs — Start if his line is active. Only one player among the group has tested positive, so there's still a chance the rest are cleared to play in time for the game, in which case I'm not benching Jacobs. I know the matchup is tough, but … Jacobs isn't a matchup-dependent player. The calculus is obviously different if he's missing literally his entire offensive line, but you're not considering benching Ezekiel Elliott despite the Cowboys issues, right? What we're watching for: Do the Buccaneers ever start to play more aggressively? The Buccaneers are attempting just around two fewer passes per game than last season with nearly 100 fewer intended air yards. Tom Brady has taken his deep shots sporadically — and even more rarely to Mike Evans, who thrives on those plays. Add in that Brady is spreading the ball around more, and this looks like a much less valuable offense for Chris Godwin and Evans. It doesn't have to be that way, but every game where it remains the case makes it harder to believe Evans or Godwin will live up to their Draft Day cost. Injuries: Leonard Fournette (ankle) — Full practice, should make his return this week … Mike Evans (ankle)/Chris Godwin (hamstring) — Expect these two to miss plenty of practice time, but as long as they don't suffer a setback, they'll keep playing on Sundays. | | Jaguars at Chargers — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. | | Line: Chargers -7.5; o/u 49.0 Implied totals: Jaguars 20.75, Chargers 28.25 The line wants us to believe: The Chargers are capable of blowing out anyone. This is the Jaguars we're talking about, complete with a depleted defense and an offense that's been pretty inconsistent. The Chargers, rested off the bye, should play well enough to win. I expect the run game to help L.A. a lot, and the return of Melvin Ingram and Justin Jones on the D-line should create a couple of turnovers. Gardner Minshew has a bad ball rate of 21.5% over his past two games. Toughest lineup decision: D.J. Chark — Start. Chark is another player we've received a ton of questions about this week, but I actually thought his Week 6 was promising. He saw a season-high 14 targets with an average depth of target of 13.8 — his second-highest of the season. Minshew needs to play better, and Chark will likely see more of Casey Hayward in this matchup than anyone else, but the Chargers are allowing the fourth-most passing yards per game, so this doesn't really seem like a matchup to avoid. What we're watching for: What does Mike Williams' role look like if Keenan Allen plays? There's a lot to keep an eye on in this one — is Justin Jackson the Chargers No. 1 RB now? — but I'm most interested in how the Chargers receiving corps sorts out, because we haven't really seen that yet. Williams got nine targets in Week 1 with Tyrod Taylor starting, and eight with Keenan Allen leaving the game in Week 5, but had four in Week 2 and one in Week 3. Of course, Week 2 was Justin Herbert's surprise last-minute start, and Williams left in Week 3 with a hamstring injury, so we really haven't seen what Williams role is with Herbert and Allen both in the game plan. I love the talent and matchup — and I'm starting Williams this week — but I wish I could be more confident about how many targets he is likely to get. Injuries: Justin Jackson (knee) — Limited again Thursday. We'll definitely need to watch this one to see if Jackson will be impacted this weekend, but he's a No. 2 RB if he plays … Keenan Allen (back) — Limited at practice again, so we'd like to see a full practice Friday to feel good about his chances of playing. | | 49ers at Patriots — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. | | Line: Patriots -2.0; o/u 43.5 Implied totals: 49ers 20.75, Patriots 22.75 The line wants us to believe: The Pats loss last week was an aberration. The reality is that Bill Belichick's teams rarely lose two straight at home. Maybe that changes with Cam Newton under center, but I'd expect a resilient effort from the Pats. San Francisco might have too many injuries to deal with after an impressive win in the national spotlight last week. Toughest lineup decision: Jerick McKinnon — Start? I genuinely don't know. It seems logical to expect McKinnon will be the lead back with Raheem Mostert out, and he had 39.4 PPR points across two starts earlier this season. However, he played just 25% and 32% of the snaps in the last two games, including in Week 6 when Mostert left with the injury, and Jamycal Hasty even out-snapped him once Mostert was gone. Do the 49ers trust McKinnon to stand up to that kind of huge role again? I'm just not sure. What we're watching for: Can Cam Newton bounce back? Newton has a pretty good excuse for struggling in Week 6 — he hadn't played since Week 3 after testing positive for COVID, and the Patriots barely practiced in preparation for the game against the Broncos last week. OK, they've had a normal week and they are facing a West Coast team flying east. If Newton struggles again, I might be worried about him as a sure-fire No. 1 QB, something I was convinced he would be after the first three games. Injuries: Jeff Wilson (calf) — Limited at practice yet again. If he can't go, Hasty would be an interesting streamer. | | Chiefs at Broncos — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. | | Line: Broncos +9.5; o/u 45.5 Implied totals: Chiefs 27.5, Broncos 18.0 The line wants us to believe: This will be another Chiefs blowout. It's a tough sell given the Broncos' defensive exploits this season. Vic Fangio won't exactly roll over — if anything he'll zone blitz a little more often than other defenses might. The Broncos offense moved the ball pretty well against the Patriots last week. It's too many points, I think it'll be a close game. Toughest lineup decision: Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay — Start. But don't feel great about it. This is another situation where we just frankly don't know how playing time is going to be divvied up. We expected something like an even split at the start of the season, but we never got to see that; Lindsay left Week 1 with a toe injury, and Gordon sat out Lindsay's return in Week 6 with an illness. It wouldn't shock me if they split work evenly, it wouldn't shock me if one was the lead back while the other took a backseat. Which one it might be? No idea! They're both No. 3 RB this week. What we're watching for: How much work does Le'Veon Bell take from Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Both running back situations are going to be worth watching closely, but the one in KC has even more Fantasy implications. My expectation if Edwards-Helaire is still the lead back, but Bell takes a handful of carries and perhaps the majority of the snaps in obvious passing downs. One key question will be whether Bell takes goal-line looks from Edwards-Helaire. Given the spread, this should be one with quite a bit of opportunity for the running backs, so I want to see how it gets split up. Injuries: Noah Fant (ankle) — Full practice Thursday, a sign that he should be able to make his return this week. I view Fant as a borderline top-five TE, worth starting in all matchups … Sammy Watkins (hamstring) — Did not practice again. Seems like he'll miss another game, and last week, it was Demarcus Robinson who benefited. | | Seahawks at Cardinals — Sunday, 8:20 p.m. | | Line: Seahawks +3.0; o/u 56.0 Implied totals: Seahawks 29.5, Cardinals 32.0 The line wants us to believe: Seattle isn't that much better than Arizona. Honestly, it's probably a fair line. The Seahawks don't blow anybody out all that often, and the Cardinals should continue to be feisty coming off last week's win. Should be a thrilling, high-scoring game. Hard to find anyone to sit in this one for Fantasy purposes, but if I'm picking a side, I'd rather trust Russell Wilson than Kyler Murray. Toughest lineup decision: Chase Edmonds — Sit. There really aren't many tough lineup decisions to make between these two teams, but Edmonds is always an interesting case. Especially coming off a two-target, five-carry game against the Cowboys. He had a healthy passing game role before that, and he needs it, because Kenyan Drake emphatically told us he wasn't giving up his lead back role last week. Edmonds has some PPR upside, but I would hope I have a better option, as he is just a desperation play against the slow-paced Seahawks. What we're watching for: Will Tyler Lockett be a focal point again. Lockett had his breakout game in Week 3, scoring three touchdowns on a season-high 13 targets, but he has just nine in the past two games, while Russell Wilson threw 66 passes between the two. My assumption is Lockett is still the 1a to DK Metcalf's 1b, but if Metcalf comes out of the bye dominating targets again, I'll certainly have to reconsider. Injuries: DeAndre Hopkins (ankle) — Has not practiced this week. Hopkins already played through an ankle injury that kept him out of practice all week, but you'll want to keep an eye out for any bad signs in the next few days. | | Bears at Rams — Monday, 8:15 p.m. | | Line: Rams -6.0; o/u 45.0 Implied totals: Bears 19.5, Rams 25.5 The line wants us to believe: The Rams are the better team, even after a loss. No one is giving the Bears any respect, but the truth is their defense has played better than expected. Los Angeles' offense hasn't consistently clicked, and Jared Goff is always suspect against teams with strong pass rushes. The Rams may win, but not by seven or more. Toughest lineup decision: Darrell Henderson — Start. I'm not sure Henderson should even be a tough decision at this point. Cam Akers has been back for two games, and Henderson had 18 touches in one and 14 in the other. He's the lead runner for this team, and while that could change any week, you aren't going away from him until it happens. What we're watching for: Can the Rams kick start their offense? They have as many games with 20 or fewer points as they do with 30-plus, and while it appears to be at least somewhat by design — this is simply not an aggressive offense right now, as they are trying to play ball control — it's not good for Fantasy. And, frankly, it's not great for the Rams, despite their 4-2 record. They need to get more from Jared Goff and the passing game, but it might be tough to do this week. Injuries: Darrell Henderson (thigh) — Did not practice. So, maybe he's not a start after all. Keep an eye on this one … Tyler Higbee (hand) — Did not practice. Higbee doesn't need to be on your roster even if he's healthy, so don't sweat it. But if he does sit, Gerald Everett becomes a more interesting option. | | | | | | | | SEC on CBS | | NFL on CBS | No. 2 Alabama will look to keep its unblemished record intact on Saturday at 3:30 PM ET when it takes on Tennessee. Watch live on CBS and the CBS Sports App!
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