Week 7 was all about players coming back from injury. Jonah Coleman returned from injured reserve and immediately led Denver’s backfield. Omar Cooper Jr. posted his second straight 100-yard touchdown game since coming off a high-ankle sprain. Caleb Douglas came back from an ankle injury and scored twice on three targets. At the same time, a new round of injuries hit Minnesota, Denver, Seattle and both New York backfields.
Week 8 byes take out the Texans, Saints, Giants and 49ers. That matters most for anyone rostering Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Woody Marks, Nico Collins, Malik Nabers or Christian McCaffrey. Below are the moves to make on waivers and the DFS plays where the role has outgrown the reputation.
WAIVER WIRE
Running back
- Jonah Coleman, DEN (top priority, 20-25 percent of FAAB): Coleman went down in Week 2. In his first game back he ran 9 times for 54 yards and caught both of his targets for 15 yards in the 30-16 win at Arizona. He also played more snaps than J.K. Dobbins or RJ Harvey. Dobbins scored on 6 carries for 23 yards, and Harvey had a 52-yard receiving touchdown on just 3 carries. The touches are still split three ways, but Coleman is the only one of the three with an early-down role that is growing. The Broncos host Kansas City in Week 8. If you need a starting running back, this is the one to spend on.
- Rachaad White, WAS (high priority, 10-15 percent): Washington put Jacory Croskey-Merritt on injured reserve with a groin injury, so he is out for several weeks. Terry McLaurin’s torn patellar tendon ends his season. The Commanders were on bye in Week 7, so White hasn’t played since the injury news and may have been dropped in your league. He goes into a Sunday night game against Philadelphia as the lead back in a committee that includes Austin Ekeler. Treat him as a volume-based RB3 for the next month.
- Dylan Sampson, CLE (PPR add, 5 percent): Sampson is also back from IR. He turned 6 carries into 45 yards and caught all 3 of his targets for 32 yards in the 27-24 win at Tennessee. Quinshon Judkins scored twice and still handles the early downs, but he was targeted only once. Sampson has the passing-down role, so his value climbs in any game Cleveland trails. They visit Pittsburgh in Week 8.
- Stash only: Seth McGowan, IND. He had real carries behind Jonathan Taylor in Minnesota, and Taylor’s name is in trade rumors ahead of the deadline. If Taylor moves, McGowan becomes a weekly flex. Devin Singletary, NYG, scored on 5 carries for 41 yards while Skattebo and Tracy both dealt with hamstring injuries. With the Giants on bye he is only worth a roster spot in deep leagues.
Wide receiver
- Omar Cooper Jr., NYJ (high priority, 10-15 percent): Cooper caught all 5 of his targets for 115 yards and a touchdown against Miami, and it was his second straight 100-yard game with a score since returning. Garrett Wilson is still the No. 1 receiver, but Cooper has passed Adonai Mitchell for the No. 2 role, and the Jets host the Raiders next. Five targets a game isn’t enough volume for him to keep scoring like this, so think of him as a WR3 who can still produce big weeks, not a new WR2.
- Caleb Douglas, MIA (medium, 5-10 percent): Douglas had 2 catches for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns on 3 targets in the 28-25 win over the Jets, Malik Willis completed 14 of 21 passes for 208 yards and threw both touchdowns to him. Miami doesn’t throw much, so his weekly results will swing. Still, he is the receiver Willis looks for downfield, and New England visits Miami in Week 8.
- KC Concepcion, CLE (medium): Concepcion caught 8 passes for 129 yards at Tennessee. Deshaun Watson is moving the ball through the air, and the rookie is now one of his primary targets. That is a role worth chasing, even in a road matchup at Pittsburgh.
Quarterback and tight end
- Michael Penix Jr., ATL: Penix completed 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards and 3 touchdowns, with no interceptions, in the 29-20 win that handed San Francisco its first loss. The Falcons visit Tampa Bay next. He is a fine streaming option if your starter is on bye.
- Mason Taylor, NYJ: Taylor caught 5 of 6 targets for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns, and the Raiders are next. Expect him to be the most-added tight end of the week. Two touchdowns on six targets will drive up his FAAB price, so don’t overpay for them.
Drops and holds
Once Week 7 is scored, you can release fill-in Giants and Texans running backs you only picked up for depth. Hold Skattebo: he tweaked his hamstring on a 42-yard overtime run, and NFL Network reported he is expected to be fine. Tracy left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and didn’t return. Because of the bye, neither player costs you a lineup decision this week.
DFS PLAYS
Value plays where the role is ahead of the price
- Jonah Coleman vs. KC: Salaries are built on season-long production, and Coleman’s season so far is two games in September and one game back from IR. Check his salary when it posts. If it still reflects a part-time role, he is a priority value play at running back.
- Omar Cooper Jr. vs. LV: His DFS price has to account for both his ceiling and his low target count. Two straight 100-yard games came on efficiency, not volume. He fits best in tournament lineups, especially lineups that pair him with Mason Taylor in the same game.
- KC Concepcion at PIT: Eight catches point to a cash-game floor. He is a rookie, so his salary may still be catching up to his workload.
- Caleb Douglas vs. NE: He is a tournament-only play. Three targets make his floor too low for cash games, but he gets the deep looks.
Injury situations that could open a role
- Vikings backfield: Aaron Jones left the 16-10 win over the Colts with a left knee injury. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that it isn’t considered significant and that Jones is day-to-day. Jordan Mason just returned from IR and is the back who benefits if Jones sits. Minnesota visits Detroit, so watch the midweek practice reports before rostering either player.
- Broncos receivers: A chest injury knocked Jaylen Waddle out of the win at Arizona, and he didn’t return. If he misses Week 8, Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. pick up more targets against Kansas City.
- Seahawks receivers: Rashid Shaheed (knee) and Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring) both left the 20-3 win over the Chiefs, and LT Charles Cross left with an ankle injury. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 9 of 12 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown, and any more absences funnel even more volume to him. Cooper Kupp is the cheap receiver who gains the most if Shaheed sits. Seattle hosts Chicago on Monday night, so this game is only on showdown or full-week slates.
- Ravens passing game: Lamar Jackson missed Week 7 with an ankle injury and is considered likely to return in Week 8 at Buffalo, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. If he is cleared, Zay Flowers’ price is worth paying.
Sit and avoid
- Jets running backs: Breece Hall missed Week 7 with a quad injury. Don’t roster any Jets back until Hall’s status for the Raiders game is clear, because his return would split the backfield again.
- Miami running backs: Jaylen Wright left with a quad injury and didn’t return. Leave Wright out of DFS lineups and season-long starting lineups until he practices in full.
- Waddle at full price: Don’t pay for him until he practices in full. A wide receiver who comes back from a chest injury on a limited snap count can sink a lineup.
To sum up: Coleman is the one waiver add worth a real bid. White and Cooper come next, while Sampson and Douglas are the cheap adds to pick up. In DFS, follow the volume: Concepcion’s catches, Coleman’s snaps and Smith-Njigba’s targets in a thin Seattle receiving group.
See today's NFL lines on DFS Lines, each one set against the player's last ten games.