We're getting a lot of questions about the Carolina backfield now that Christian McCaffrey was traded to San Francisco and what this means for D'Onta Foreman, Chuba Hubbard and potentially Raheem Blackshear. It's going to be a messy situation moving forward, and this is easily a backfield to avoid in Week 7 against Tampa Bay.
You should add Foreman (50 percent rostered on CBS Sports) and Hubbard (38 percent) for a minimal investment if they are still available in your league, just to see what happens. On Friday, interim head coach Steve Wilks declined to name a starter and said it will be a running back by committee approach, but hopefully someone emerges as the leader of the committee to be a potential flex option.
I can see Foreman leading the team in carries and being the goal-line option, with Hubbard playing on passing downs. For what it's worth, McCaffrey had one game with more than 15 carries this season, which was Week 3 against New Orleans in the only win for Carolina. He had five games with at least four catches and was targeted 43 times.
I'd give a slight lean toward Hubbard being the better PPR option if he plays on passing downs, but there's no guarantee what the Panthers will do. In 2021, with McCaffrey missing 10 games, Hubbard had six games with at least 15 total touches, and he scored at least 13 PPR points in four of them.
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And Foreman last year got plenty of work for the Titans when Derrick Henry was out with a foot injury, getting at least 13 carries in five games. He scored at least 13 PPR points in three of them.
This Panthers team could be a complete disaster offensively, and we're counting on Sam Darnold (ankle) to potentially rescue them when he's healthy. Think about that for a second. I'd like to see one of Foreman or Hubbard emerge as a trustworthy Fantasy option, but that might not happen given how bad the Panthers could be without McCaffrey on the roster.
For this week, keep all of them reserved against the Buccaneers, who are second in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. There isn't any sleeper appeal with the Panthers backfield in this matchup.
Every Friday, you can find this column on sleepers and DFS plays on DraftKings and FanDuel. I'm also going to include our Friday show notes from Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ, which gives a game-by-game breakdown of starts, sits, favorite props and favorite DFS plays. It should help you with some lineup decisions each week.
- More Week 7: Starts, Sits, Sleepers and Busts | PPR Cheat Sheet | Non-PPR Cheat Sheet | Waiver Wire | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | Trade Values
Week 7 Sleepers
Sleepers
Garoppolo could be in line for a big game this week. He has consecutive games with at least 20 Fantasy points heading into Week 7, and he just attempted a season-high 41 attempts in Week 6 at Atlanta when the 49ers were chasing points and couldn't rely on their ground game. The same thing could happen this week against the Chiefs, even at home. And this is a beautiful matchup since Kansas City is No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. The Chiefs allow an average of 26.0 Fantasy points per game to the position, and five of six opposing quarterbacks have scored at least 21 points against this defense.
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Tagovailoa is cleared to return in Week 7 against the Steelers after being out for the past two games with a concussion, and he's worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues. This is a good matchup against Pittsburgh, especially if the secondary is still banged up with injuries to cornerbacks Cam Sutton (hamstring), Levi Wallace (concussion) and Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee). The Steelers have allowed four of six quarterbacks to score at least 20 Fantasy points this season, and Tagovailoa should follow suit now that he's healthy. He could be a top 10 Fantasy quarterback again in this matchup.
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Tannehill only scored 17 Fantasy points in Week 4 at the Colts, but he did throw two touchdown passes. Hopefully he can at least do that again, and he would be a safe fallback option in deeper leagues. Prior to that game, Tannehill had scored at least 20 Fantasy points against the Colts in three games in a row. And he has scored at least 35 Fantasy points in two of his past three games coming off a bye. He could end up as a surprise top 10 Fantasy quarterback in this matchup at home.
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A physical running game has caused problems for Green Bay this season, and the Commanders will hopefully recognize that and lean on Robinson. The Packers have allowed four rushing touchdowns in the past three games to Damien Harris, Saquon Barkley, Gary Brightwell and Breece Hall over that span, and for the season, seven running backs have scored at least 12 PPR points against Green Bay. Robinson took over as the lead running back in Week 6 at Chicago with 17 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown, and he should have the chance for a hefty workload again this week. While Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic will get touches, this should be a good matchup to trust Robinson as a No. 2 running back in all leagues, with his value higher in non-PPR.
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J.K. Dobbins (knee) is out this week and expected to miss 4-6 weeks. We don't know the status for Gus Edwards (knee) yet, so Drake could be the lead running back in a solid matchup against the Browns. And Drake just had 10 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for 8 yards on two targets, against the Giants in Week 6 when Dobbins couldn't finish the game. Now, keep in mind that Drake failed to succeed in the first two weeks of the season when Dobbins was out, combining for five PPR points against the Jets and Dolphins. And we could see him in a timeshare with Justice Hill and maybe Edwards if he's activated for this game. But this is a good matchup to trust Drake since Cleveland has allowed six running backs to score at least 13 PPR points this season. Drake is worth using as a flex option now that Dobbins can't go.
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The Ravens are among the league leaders in receptions allowed to running backs with 41, and hopefully Jacoby Brissett can get Hunt involved in the passing game this week. There have been eight running backs with at least three catches against Baltimore this season, and Hunt has three games with at least three receptions on the year. Hunt will most likely need a touchdown to reward Fantasy managers since he's still stuck behind Nick Chubb, but Baltimore has allowed three touchdowns to running backs in the past three games.
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It seems like the Packers are going to try and get their backfield going to help make things easier on offense. At least that's the hope for Aaron Jones and Dillon, and Dillon can be used as a flex option this week in the majority of leagues. Washington has allowed six total touchdowns to running backs, and Dillon is due to score after not finding the end zone since Week 1. I also like that he got four catches in Week 6 against the Jets on six targets, and hopefully Aaron Rodgers will start throwing to him and Jones on a consistent basis this week and moving forward.
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We had Pierce as a start receiver last week against Jacksonville, and he delivered with 13 PPR points on three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. But it was close to being a disaster since he needed a 32-yard touchdown with 17-seconds left to save his production. Still, this is now three games in a row with at least 12 PPR points, including Week 4 against Tennessee when he had four catches for 80 yards on six targets. Pierce could replicate that performance this week since the Titans are No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and eight have scored at least 12 PPR points against this defense in 2022.
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Prior to his bye in Week 6, Reynolds was rolling for the Lions and Fantasy managers. In his past four games, he scored at least 12 PPR points in each outing, and he had at least eight targets in his past three games. Part of that stretch came with Amon-Ra St. Brown and D.J. Chark dealing with injuries, so keep that in mind, and Chark (ankle) could be out again this week. Jared Goff and the Lions coaches trust Reynolds, and Goff and Reynolds were also teammates with the Rams. The Cowboys have allowed four receivers to score at least 13 PPR points in their past two games against the Rams and Eagles, and Reynolds is worth trusting as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Gallup hasn't played with Dak Prescott yet since Prescott was hurt in Week 1, while Gallup was still coming back from last year's knee injury. It will be fun to see these two reunited, and hopefully this is the beginning of a breakout stretch for Gallup. While CeeDee Lamb is locked into the No. 1 role for Dallas and should have a big game against the Lions in Week 7, don't be surprised if Gallup has a quality outing as well. Detroit has allowed eight receivers to score at least 15 PPR points in the first five games of the season, and Gallup should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues.
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It's risky to trust Robinson as anything more than a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, but he could reward you this week if he gets more chances from Daniel Jones. Robinson finally played in Week 6 against Baltimore after being out since Week 1 with a knee injury, and he had three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. He only had four targets, but there should be more production coming for Robinson given how bad the Giants receiving corps has been this season. The Jaguars have already allowed nine receivers to score at least 13 PPR points this season, including three last week for the Colts with Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell.
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Renfrow has been relatively mediocre so far as a Fantasy option, with 10 PPR points his best showing in Week 2 against Arizona. Granted, he missed two games with a concussion, but hopefully he'll start to produce like a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues for the rest of the year. He could have the chance for increased targets in Week 7 against the Texans if Darren Waller (hamstring) is out, and he missed practice Wednesday. Derek Carr should look for Renfrow as a safe target, and this should be his best game of the season against the Texans at home.
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Bellinger is worth using as a low-end starter this week against the Jaguars. He has been stepping up of late with at least 10 PPR points in his past two games against the Packers and Ravens, and the Giants can use him as a playmaker in this matchup. I like that he had a rushing touchdown in London against Green Bay, and he had a season-high five catches against Baltimore to go with 38 yards and a touchdown on five targets. He has the ability to be a low-end starter in all leagues for Week 7 against the Jaguars, who just allowed a touchdown to Indianapolis' Jelani Woods in Week 6.
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Henry is worth using as a low-end starter this week against the Bears. He is playing better of late with 12 targets for eight catches, 115 yards and a touchdown in his past two games, and he scored at least nine PPR points in each outing against the Lions and Browns. It could be that he has a better connection with Bailey Zappe than Mac Jones, or that the Patriots are just starting to use him more. Either way, Henry is worth using as a streamer on Monday night.
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The revenge tour continues for Hurst, who will hopefully have similar success against the Falcons as he had against the Ravens. Against Baltimore in Week 5, Hurst had six catches for 53 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. This week, he's facing a Falcons defense that is No. 5 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. Atlanta has allowed a tight end to score at least 10 PPR points in every game this season.
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DFS GAME PREVIEWS & LINEUPS
These are game previews from our Fantasy Football Today show on CBS Sports HQ on Friday from me, Adam Aizer and Dave Richard. The player props are from Caesars Sportsbook.
Cleveland at Baltimore (Dave Richard)
- Injuries of note: Mark Andrews (knee), JK Dobbins (knee), Rashod Bateman (foot)
- Start or Sit: Sit Kareem Hunt
- DFS play: David Njoku (DraftKings $4,200/FanDuel $5,700)
- Prop to play: Jacoby Brissett over 30.5 pass attempts (-121)
Indianapolis at Tennessee (Adam Aizer)
- Injuries of note: Jonathan Taylor (ankle), Nyheim Hines (concussion)
- Start or Sit: Start Matt Ryan
- DFS play: Jonathan Taylor (DraftKings $8,000/FanDuel $8,000)
- Prop to play: Matt Ryan over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+108)
Detroit at Dallas (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injuries of note: D'Andre Swift (shoulder), Josh Reynolds (knee), D.J. Chark (ankle)
- Start or Sit: Start Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard
- DFS play: Michael Gallup (DraftKings $5,100/FanDuel $6,100)
- Prop to play: Dak Prescott over 0.5 interceptions (+120)
Tampa Bay at Carolina (Dave Richard)
- Injuries of note: Julio Jones (knee), Cameron Brate (neck)
- Start or Sit: Sit D.J. Moore
- DFS play: Leonard Fournette (DraftKings $7,700/FanDuel $8,400)
- Prop to play: Tom Brady under 270.5 pass yards (-117)
Atlanta at Cincinnati (Adam Aizer)
- Injuries of note: Ja'Marr Chase (hip), Tee Higgins (ankle), Hayden Hurst (groin)
- Start or Sit: Sit Drake London
- DFS play: Joe Mixon (DraftKings $6,900/FanDuel $7,400)
- Prop to play: Tyler Boyd over 40.5 receiving yards (-119)
New York Giants at Jacksonville (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injuries of note: Kadarius Toney (hamstring), Kenny Golladay (knee), Marvin Jones (hamstring)
- Start or Sit: Sit Christian Kirk
- DFS play: Wan'Dale Robinson (DraftKings $4,500/FanDuel $5,500)
- Prop to play: Daniel Jones over 35.5 rushing yards (+100)
Green Bay at Washington (Dave Richard)
- Injuries of note: Aaron Rodgers (thumb), Carson Wentz (finger), Jahan Dotson (hamstring), Dyami Brown (groin), Logan Thomas (calf)
- Start or Sit: Sit A.J. Dillon
- DFS play: Allen Lazard (DraftKings $6,100/FanDuel: $6,600)
- Prop to play: Aaron Jones over 21.5 receiving yards (-119)
New York Jets at Denver (Adam Aizer)
- Injuries of note: Russell Wilson (hamstring)
- Start or Sit: Sit Russell Wilson
- DFS play: Breece Hall (DraftKings $5,800/FanDuel $7,600)
- Prop to play: First score of the game is a Denver FG (+310)
Houston at Las Vegas (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injuries of note: Darren Waller (hamstring), Hunter Renfrow (hip)
- Start or Sit: Start Derek Carr
- DFS play: Josh Jacobs (DraftKings $6,500/FanDuel $8,600)
- Prop to play: Dameon Pierce over 61.5 rushing yards (-103)
Seattle at Los Angeles Chargers (Dave Richard)
- Injuries of note: Tyler Lockett (hamstring), Keenan Allen (hamstring), Josh Palmer (concussion)
- Start or Sit: Start Gerald Everett
- DFS play: Geno Smith (DraftKings $5,600/FanDuel $6,800)
- Prop to play: Justin Herbert under 1.5 pass TD (+133)
Kansas City at San Francisco (Adam Aizer)
- Injuries of note: Trent Williams (ankle)
- Start or Sit: Start Brandon Aiyuk
- DFS play: Juju Smith-Schuster (DraftKings $5,200/FanDuel $6,700)
- Prop to play: Patrick Mahomes over 2.5 TD passes (+146)
DFS Lineups
DraftKings
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo (vs. KC) $5,500
RB: Josh Jacobs (vs. HOU) $6,500
RB: Kenneth Walker III (at LAC) $5,800
WR: Tee Higgins (vs. ATL) $6,400
WR: Chris Godwin (at CAR) $6,300
WR: Brandon Aiyuk (vs. KC) $6,000
TE: George Kittle (vs. KC) $5,300
FLEX: Alec Pierce (at TEN) $4,600
DST: Jets (at DEN) $2,600
I'm excited about this lineup with the 49ers stack, and I expect Garoppolo to do well with Aiyuk and Kittle against the Chiefs. Let's hope for a shootout between Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes.
The running backs in this lineup should go off with Jacobs against the Texans and Walker against the Chargers, and both have top-10 upside. I wouldn't be surprised if these were the top two running backs in Week 7 if things go right.
Along with Aiyuk, my other receivers should be exceptional with Higgins and Godwin, and Pierce is a great sleeper at this price. He should have another quality outing against the Titans this week.
FanDuel
QB: Tom Brady (at CAR) $7,400
RB: Kenneth Walker III (at LAC) $7,300
RB: Ezekiel Elliott (vs. DET) $6,900
WR: Chris Godwin (at CAR) $7,000
WR: DK Metcalf (at LAC) $6,900
WR: Allen Lazard (at WAS) $6,600
TE: David Njoku (at BAL) $5,700
FLEX: Leonard Fournette (at CAR) $8,400
DEF: Bengals (vs. ATL) $3,600
Brady should have a big game in Week 7 at Carolina, and I expect him to help Godwin score his first touchdown of the season. I'll also play Fournette in the flex, and he's been a big part of the passing game for Brady and the Buccaneers, which should continue this week.
I'm using Walker in this lineup as well, and Elliott is the Start of the Week on CBS Sports. He has an amazing matchup against the Lions, who have allowed eight rushing touchdowns to running backs this year.
Metcalf and Lazard should both have the chance for big games in Week 7, and I expect both to find the end zone. And Njoku should stay hot against the Ravens in what should be another plus matchup.
