Rico Dowdle has totaled 473 yards and two touchdowns while breaking DFS slates over the past two weeks. He went from many waiver wires to posting more fantasy points over two games than Breece Hall and Chase Brown have all season. Dowdle has looked like a mix between Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson while forcing 11 missed tackles and getting 7.3 YPC. He has twice as many 200-yard games over the past two weeks than the rest of the league has in 2025.
Dowdle unquestionably benefitted from highly favorable matchups, but the impressive performances will shift future usage in Carolina. How much remains to be seen, and Chuba Hubbard has returned to practice. I’ll tackle the Panthers’ backfield and more of the biggest questions entering Week 7.
Can Rico Dowdle make it a hat trick?
Dowdle has a long history of being an average NFL back, and Hubbard has a much bigger contract. A two-headed committee seems like the most likely outcome, which becomes more of a problem on a middling Carolina offense. Dowdle is coming off facing arguably the league’s two worst run defenses at home, and the Panthers will face one of the toughest RB schedules moving forward. The Jets have allowed the sixth-fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points to running backs this season, although the game script could prove favorable this week.
Dowdle was as high as the RB10 in expert consensus ranks as of Wednesday, but that’s likely to drop with Hubbard returning to practice. How Dave Canales utilizes his backfield is fantasy’s biggest question this week.
Is there a QB controversy in Arizona?
Cardinals backup QB Jacoby Brissett threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns last week despite losing Marvin Harrison early to a concussion — Kyler Murray hasn’t accomplished that feat in nearly three years. Brissett is a career journeyman who struggled badly in New England last season, but the 32-year-old suddenly gave life to a previously dormant Arizona passing attack. Murray’s foot injury is a bit of a mystery, seemingly suffered during an unexpected snap to the face, and his Week 7 status remains murky.
It’s unlikely that there is a quarterback controversy in Arizona, but the Cardinals certainly won’t rush Murray back. He brings a running element Brissett doesn’t, but fantasy managers with Trey McBride and Harrison would undoubtedly see more catchable air yards with Brissett starting. Only Justin Fields and Cam Ward have worse net passing yards per dropback than Murray this season. Murray will start again once healthy, but Brissett is a real upgrade for Arizona’s pass catchers.
Can Kimani Vidal be trusted?
Fantasy managers have the right to remain skeptical of one-week samples regarding running back usage (see Woody Marks), but Vidal appears to be Los Angeles’ new lead back. He went from totaling 16 snaps over the season to being the RB8 in expected fantasy points last week. Vidal saw more than twice as many snaps and opportunities as Hassan Haskins while doubling his yards per touch.
Justin Herbert continued to target his backs at a high rate last week, and Vidal clearly has more juice than Haskins. Having this information before last week would have been nice, but it was encouraging to see Jim Harbaugh consolidate L.A.’s backfield. The Chargers’ offensive line remains a problem, but this is an offense with a strong implied team total (25.5 points) this week. With Omarion Hampton expected to be out possibly through the Chargers’ Week 12 bye, Vidal looks like a very helpful RB2. Of course, that depends on the team not trading for a running back, and Harbaugh continuing last week’s usage.
Will Rashee Rice be a WR1 upon his return?
Rice returns from his six-game suspension this week, likely on losing fantasy teams. Rice may still prove worth it, even for the many 2-4 fantasy squads, who shouldn’t give up hope now that they have a WR1 rest of season. Rice’s fantasy points per game before going down would’ve ranked behind only Ja’Marr Chase last season. While that was only a three-game sample, Rice was also fantasy’s WR8 after Week 11 in 2023.
Patrick Mahomes is the MVP favorite, and the Chiefs lead the league in pass rate over expected by a mile over the past month. Xavier Worthy is playing through multiple injuries and will wear a shoulder harness for the rest of the year. Rice will reportedly immediately see “a heavy workload” this week, although Andy Reid failed to confirm. Still, the time off should mean he’s closer to 100% coming off knee surgery. Worthy gets downgraded to WR2 territory, while Rice should be considered a WR1 rest-of-season.
Is Brian Thomas back?
Thomas seemingly commits a drop and/or loses a long play or touchdown due to penalty every game, but he finished as a top-30 fantasy WR for the first time all season last week. It came against a banged-up Seattle secondary, but his game was nearly much bigger if not for a nullified 54-yard TD catch. BTJ has seen a big increase in first-read target% over the past three weeks, but now we get reports of Liam Coen planning to put Travis Hunter “in the position to be No. 1 a little bit more often.” Maybe the most discouraging part of Thomas’ slow start was that it happened while Hunter was a complete afterthought in Jacksonville’s offense, which will no longer be the case.
Thomas was expected to get a bump with Coen’s arrival, but his role has diminished. He’s seen just four red-zone targets and a measly one designed target despite Coen entering with a reputation for using a lot of screens. BTJ deserves some blame, leading the league in drops, but he’s also suffered the fourth-most unrealized air yards thanks to an erratic Trevor Lawrence. Meanwhile, Mac Jones has helped Kendrick Bourne double his career total of 100-yard games over the past two weeks.
Thomas will continue to perform better, but he looks like a WR2 who won’t live up to his ADP this season.
How much will Luther Burden’s role increase?
Burden saw a slight post-bye rookie bump last week, but he’ll see an even larger role should DJ Moore miss time. Moore has been labeled day-to-day with a groin injury, but it was serious enough for him to spend Monday night in the hospital and miss Wednesday’s practice. Burden isn’t a perfect replacement in Chicago’s offense, as he excels out of the slot, but he’s shown real flashes as a rookie.
His per-route metrics are greatly aided by 43.3% of his receiving yards coming during one flea flicker, but Burden is a legit prospect who would have been playing more if not for a lost preseason. Ben Johnson is pushing all the cheat code buttons as hoped in Chicago, helping a highly inaccurate Caleb Williams be fantasy’s QB7 and Rome Odunze the WR7. Burden clearly looks ready to produce if given the opportunity, but he played just 13 snaps last week, so a breakout will require Moore to miss time. The Bears’ WR schedule is as favorable as it gets over the next four games, and fantasy managers are just asking for the rookie’s chance.
Burden would be a WR3 in a favorable matchup should Moore miss Week 7.
How down is Kenneth Walker?
Walker was drafted as the RB15, but he’s been fantasy’s RB25 over the first six weeks. He’d rank much lower if Zach Charbonnet didn’t miss time, as Seattle’s backfield has become an even split — Walker has just five more touches over five games together. Walker’s stats appear like he’s been far more productive, but they are a bit misleading given where the two backs get their carries. Walker sees most of his work outside the red zone, while Charbonnet gets most of his inside it. The Seahawks have a league-high rush rate inside the 5-yard line, but Charbonnet has seen 62.5% of the carries there.
Moreover, the Seahawks own a league-low 10.4% target share to running backs this season. Walker is PFF’s highest graded rusher this season, but he’s just the RB34 in expected fantasy points. Fantasy managers can scream, but the playing time is unlikely to change with Seattle trusting Charbonnet far more in pass protection. Walker badly needs a role change at the goal line, and there’s more bad news with the Seahawks projected to have the second-toughest RB schedule moving forward.
Walker is always a threat to break off a long touchdown run, but he’s downgraded to RB3 territory.
How does CeeDee Lamb’s return affect Dallas?
Lamb is expected to return Sunday after missing three-plus weeks with a high-ankle sprain. It’s the type of injury that could limit him during his first game back (and possibly beyond), but it’s obviously a welcome addition to an offense that somehow averaged 34.7 points and 381 yards without him. It will be interesting to see how Lamb moves on Sunday.
George Pickens has been fantasy’s WR1 over the past month and should be viewed as a high-end WR2 once Lamb gets back to speed. Pickens’ role will presumably be bigger than it was before Lamb went down, and he remains a top-10 WR this week in a matchup with one of the season’s highest totals (55.5 points).
George Pickens in 4 games WITHOUT CeeDee Lamb:
– 34.1% first-read target-share
– 24.2 PPG (WR1)
– 17.5 expected PPG (WR3)George Pickens in 2 games WITH CeeDee Lamb:
– 18.6% first-read target-share
– 11.9 PPG (WR33)
– 11.3 expected PPG (WR38)In those 2 games CeeDee Lamb had:…
— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) October 14, 2025
Jake Ferguson has been the TE1 with Lamb out — he’ll take a real hit in targets but still projects as a borderline top-five fantasy TE rest-of-season in this offense. Dak Prescott looks like the favorite to lead the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, and Javonte Williams is locked in as a top-10 fantasy back.
Who’s playing for the 49ers on Sunday night?
Brock Purdy and George Kittle returned to limited practice on Wednesday and are questionable to play Sunday night (when fantasy managers may have no alternatives). Ricky Pearsall is unlikely to return from his knee injury, while Jauan Jennings is playing with five broken ribs and high and low ankle sprains. Kendrick Bourne has emerged as the 49ers’ current WR1, and his rapport seems especially strong with Mac Jones (who’s dealing with a strained oblique and sprained PCL).
Bourne has averaged 10 targets and 142 receiving yards and has been fantasy’s WR4 over the past two weeks despite not catching a TD. Meanwhile, Jake Tonges has outscored Trey McBride, Tucker Kraft, Dalton Kincaid and Travis Kelce over the past three weeks with Kittle out.
Jones leads the NFL in passing yards per game (313) by a wide margin, while Purdy (293) ranks second, as San Francisco is throwing far more than usual this season. Purdy will be playing through turf toe if he returns, and he’s seemingly preferred Jennings throughout his career, although it’s unclear how much the WR can contribute right now.
The 49ers face a surprisingly stingy Atlanta defense this week, but they are still projected to score a healthy 24.5 points. The Falcons have been the best defense against receiving backs, so Kittle (or Tonges) and Bourne (or Jennings or Pearsall) will be extra busy this week. But fantasy managers may not know who’s starting at quarterback, wide receiver or tight end until Sunday night.
Can Mike Evans return just in time?
The Buccaneers “hope” to get Evans back this week, which is needed with Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving and now Emeka Egbuka all sidelined. Evans has been out since Week 3 with a hamstring injury, but fantasy managers will have a dilemma should he be a game-time decision Monday night. Evans has immediate top-five WR upside in a matchup in Detroit and with little target competition, but his hamstring needs to cooperate. Hopefully, practice reports clear up his Week 7 status. Baker Mayfield has received MVP chatter despite Tampa Bay’s depleted pass catchers, and he might get his star receiver back Monday night.