MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 5/8)
Josh Gross
Week 7 in the NFL offered up some notable injuries, but in comparison to some other weeks, it’s been relatively quiet.
There are still issues that fantasy managers are going to have to navigate moving forward, and we still have bye weeks, so let’s dig in and see what happened this past week.
Saturday Update
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts
This may not seem like that big of a deal, but Zack Moss hasn’t practiced all week and was still in a split with Jonathan Taylor. While Taylor has been gaining more of his role, this could be the first week we’ve seen him at full go, and managers who have been patient likely have a top-five back for the rest of the season.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Daniel Jones will miss his third straight game, which means another start for Tyrod Taylor. It’s a tough matchup since the Jets are 10th in DVOA against the pass and both starting corners Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed are back. Still, Taylor has been solid and is still a streaming option for desperate managers.
Aaron Jones/Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers
Luke Musgrave has been limited all week, and Matt LaFleur has mentioned backup tight ends needing to play well this week, so I would lean toward him sitting out. Aaron Jones is off the injury report, but he’s not in the clear just yet –
It’s been a wildly frustrating year, and it’s going to take a leap of faith to know when he’s going to be 100%.
Robert Woods, Houston Texans
Robert Woods hasn’t been the most fantasy-relevant player in the league, but him being out should help raise the floors of both Tank Dell and Nico Collins against the Panthers this week.
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
We expected this, but Ryan Tannehill is not going to play despite the bye week in Week 7. That’s going to leave Will Levis and Malik Willis, and I have no interest in either player for the quarterback position.
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns
This came out of left field on Friday, as the Browns had said Jerome Ford would miss 1-2 weeks with an ankle sprain. He’s now listed as questionable for Sunday after a limited practice on Sunday, so if he winds up playing, Pierre Strong would go to the backburner.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
The expectation is that Brock Purdy will miss this week, as he’s still in concussion protocol. That’s going to open the door for Sam Darnold, who is interesting., especially in 2QB leagues. Darnold had washed out of some other spots, but this is easily the best offense he’s been in for his career.
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
The earliest Justin Fields can return from his thumb injury will be Week 9, as he is ruled out against the Chargers. Rookie Tyson Bagent started last week and acquitted himself very well for a Division II rookie who wasn’t drafted. He completed 21-of-29 attempts but only threw for 162 yards and a touchdown, so the fantasy appeal is still probably limited.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
This could be a real sticking point for managers since this contest is on Sunday Night Football. We should get an update on Sunday, but Joshua Palmer has been limited all week and appears to be truly questionable. Quentin Johnston would be in line for more opportunity, but he’s totaled seven receptions even though Mike Williams has been out for most of the year.
Week 8 Injury Report
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
This was hands down the most frustrating situation of the week and likely the season. Bijan Robinson was dealing with headaches all morning on Sunday, and it wound up costing him virtually a full game of action. That would be one thing but somehow, nobody on the Atlanta side reported anything until well after the game started. Fantasy managers were left holding the bag, and while it seems like it’s a one-week issue, it has to be monitored this week. If Robinson were to miss, Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson would continue to split work as they did in Week 7. Allgeier handled 23 touches, while Patterson rotated in for 10 carries against the Buccaneers.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
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Deshaun Watson made it back into the Cleveland lineup, and it was a nightmare game for him. He threw an interception before he was forced from the game, but that’s where things get a little unclear. He was cleared from concussion protocol, but PJ Walker finished the game, despite some spotty play as well. On top of that, the Browns have said that Watson is starting next week. That’s good news for Week 8, but Week 7 was an abject disaster.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
We don’t have an update yet on the status of Christian Watson since he was hurt on the next-to-last offensive play for the Packers. He appeared to injure his leg on an attempted catch, and it didn’t look very positive. There is speculation that it could be some style of knee issue, but we’ll have to wait it out. Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed would be in line for more targets if Watson has to miss more time. When Watson missed the first three weeks, Doubs and Reed both had a 21.1% target share.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle was able to come back into the game against the Eagles, but he missed a significant portion of it with a back issue. The fact he was able to return is encouraging moving forward, but if he’s out, the duo of Braxton Berrios and Cedrick Wilson would have additional opportunities. They only had five total targets on Sunday, so it’s not likely to amount to a lot for fantasy, but the Miami offense is appealing if you can grab a piece of it.
