NFL Player News

A former five-star DT who was rated as the 20th overall recruit from the 2021 recruiting cycle, Smith (6’5/301) arrived in Baton Rouge with high expectations. He had immediate success as a freshman, producing 19 tackles, 16 pressures and four sacks while being named to the Freshman All-American Team. Hopes were high for Smith heading into 2022, but he tore an ACL which cost him the entire season. He returned last year but didn’t recreate the magic of his freshman campaign, posting just 4.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks in 12 starts. Though he didn’t put up eye-popping stats, Smith earned a 78th% pass rush grade and tested well enough to earn a strong 8.46 Relative Athletic Score. He has a filled-out frame and prototype 35” length arms to help him keep opposing blockers at bay. A true blue chip three tech with freaky proportions and massive power behind him, Smith is raw thanks to just one year of starting experience but could be molded into a difference-making tackle if he fully buys-in.

It was a fairly clean game for Stafford against a Raiders defense that rarely pressures the passer and has proven vulnerable in the intermediate and deep areas of the field. Stafford picked apart the Vegas secondary in the first half, with heavy three tight end-set usage and a more run-heavy game plan than usual with Davante Adams (hamstring) sidelined. The Rams had 35 rushing attempts to 29 passes on the day. Stafford connected with Puka Nacua for one score and Davis Allen for two others. Though Stafford’s ceiling is going to be lower with Adams out, he profiles as a safe option in Week 8 against the Chargers. He now has six multi-touchdown games this season.

Among the least efficient rushers in the game, Jeanty again struggled to get anything going on the ground behind a middling Vegas offensive line. He did almost all of his damage through the air, turning eight targets into 61 yards and a late score in garbage time. He ran a route on 20 of the team’s 35 drop backs against the Rams and ranked second among Raiders pass catchers in targets. Mike Washington had six carries on the day. Jeanty, with at least six targets in six of his seven games this season, can maintain RB2 status as long as he’s catching passes out of the backfield. He gets the Jets in Week 8.

It was a quiet day for Tucker until the Raiders once again found themselves down by three scores in the fourth quarter. Kirk Cousins — as he did last week against Buffalo — let it rip and peppered Tucker with late downfield targets, one of them resulting in an impressive 37-yard touchdown. Tucker led all Vegas pass catchers with a dozen targets and dominated air yards as usual. Last week against the Bills, Tucker went for 97 yards and two scores on five receptions. The miserable Raiders defense should lead to plenty of runaway negative game script for the team’s offense in the coming weeks, and Tucker’s role as the team’s lone deep ball option gives him weekly upside. He’ll be a WR3 option in Week 8 against the Jets.

Corum had the lead in carries until the final drive of the game, when the Rams turned to Kyren Williams to seal the victory following a short-lived Raiders comeback. Corum’s fantasy day could have been much bigger if he hadn’t had two touchdowns called back on penalties along with another chunk gain. Despite running cold on luck, Corum’s role continued to grow even after Williams complained publicly about the backfield workload split last week. Williams logged 18 routes against the Raiders while Corum ran just nine. Look for the Rams to be more run heavy in the coming weeks with Davante Adams out indefinitely with a hamstring injury, putting Corum in play as a weekly flex. He gets the Chargers in Week 8.

Even with Josh Jacobs back in the mix, the Packers still struggled to get the ground game going. As a result, Love aired it out early and often, throwing a ridiculous 10 passes for 20-plus yards, but only three were completed. Love’s first touchdown pass came on a third-and-nine when he connected with Tucker Kraft for a 14-yard score, and in the third quarter, a short pass to Jacobs was turned upfield for a 25-yard touchdown after Jacobs tight-roped along the sideline to find pay dirt. Love nearly connected with Jacobs for another score late in the fourth quarter, but Jacobs was unable to complete the diving catch in the end zone for the go-ahead score. On the next play, Trey Smack had a 35-yard field goal blocked, which ultimately set the Lions up for the game-winning field goal on the ensuing drive. Love continues to play an aggressive style of football, airing it out to his speedsters in Matthew Golden and Christian Watson. He and the Packers now have a short turnaround to prepare for the Panthers in Week 8, where he will be on the QB1 radar.

Per usual, Nix had a quiet day through the air, which is doubly true when you realize 52 of his yards and his lone touchdown came on an RJ Harvey screen. Nix struggled to get his deep ball going, missing several long shots that would have padded out an otherwise lacking box score. On the other hand, fantasy managers won’t be complaining after seeing his rushing line, which was largely the result of a 62-yard rushing touchdown late in the first half. Denver sent nearly all of their eligible pass catchers to the right side of the field, opening up a running lane big enough for at least one 18-wheeler. Facing a much stingier Chiefs defense in Week 8, we don’t expect another elite fantasy showing from Nix next week. He will be on the QB1/2 border for the AFC West showdown.

In a game that felt like it should have featured far more points, Goff and the Lions narrowly walked away with the win. He led an explosive opening drive that included a 28-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown and a 24-yard pass to Jameson Williams, and ended with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Williams to put the Lions up 7-0 early. Goff would again connect with Williams for a 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, and narrowly missed linking up with him for a third touchdown were it not for Williams being forced out of the end zone on a catch when the Lions went for it on fourth-and-five from the Packers’ six-yard line. Goff did lose a fumble in this one on a botched snap exchange with his center, but it was an overall strong outing for the Lions’ signal-caller. Goff has yet to throw an interception this season and has now thrown for over 300 yards in three of his six games this season. He’ll be a fringe QB1/QB2 next week at home against the 6-0 Vikings.

Harvey only ran the ball three times for six yards. Jonah Coleman, who was active for the first time since Week 2, ran nine times and also caught a pair of passes. Harvey’s role took a hit, but he made the most of his limited opportunities with a 52-yard screen in the third quarter. Sean Payton’s play-call schemed half of the Cardinals’ defense out of the play and Harvey blew by the other half on his way to the end zone. Despite the spike week for fantasy managers, Harvey’s declining role will have been tumlbing down the running back ranks for Week 8. He will be on the RB3/4 border versus Kansas City next week.

Dobbins was the team’s preferred option at the goal line, allowing him to save a bust of a fantasy day with a one-yard score in the second half. He was initially stood up at the goal line but made it in the paint by driving his legs through the contact for six. Dobbins was held under 10 points even with the touchdown. Jonah Coleman returned this week and led the team in carries with nine. Harvey ran the ball just three times. This backfield is a messy, three-man committee and Dobbins doesn’t get to pad the stats with PPR-friendly targets. He will shuffle to the back of the RB3 ranks for his Week 8 date with the Chiefs.

Up by 14, Sean Payton dialed up a trick play for Waddle, giving him a pitch as Waddle came across the formation. Waddle bobbled the ball and was clobbered by Josh Sweat. He writhed in pain while holding his left shoulder. Trainers came onto the field and eventually walked him into the locker room. With less than four minutes on the clock at the time of his departure, we don’t expect to see him again today. Waddle’s day ends with four catches for 48 yards on seven targets.