NFL Player News

Murray was lackluster once again, heading a Cardinals offense without an identity and never seems to be in a particular hurry to score points. A whopping 70 percent of Murray’s throws were sort of the first down sticks, as he regularly checked down to running backs and tight ends without any pressure in his face. Murray’s lone touchdown went to Michael Wilson on a well-thrown 18-yard pass in the second quarter. Losing Marvin Harrison Jr. to a brain injury in the first quarter certainly didn’t help matters for Murray. Things won’t get easier for Murray in Week 7 against a tough Chargers secondary.

Franklin saw a sharp increase in offensive snaps this week, finishing second among Broncos wide receivers with 37. He’s generated two explosive pass plays on three receptions during that span, and today’s touchdown came via an end zone target. Sean Payton appears to be giving Franklin a chance to earn the No. 2 WR role, albeit quietly. Fantasy managers with bench space to spare should stash him ahead of the Broncos’ Week 7 date with the Saints.

ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes, “Pittman did not divulge exact details of his injury, but he acknowledged that dealing with it will be a week-to-week situation and that his status could change.” Fantasy managers should expect to have Pittman available, at least in the short term, though monitoring practice reports will be key.

The rookie Coker has seen more opportunities with Adam Thielen out, seeing three targets in the Panthers’ loss to the Falcons. He was the No. 3 wideout in targets, behind Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette, though in the subpar Panthers offense, Coker is no more than a deep league stash. The other receivers mixing in for the Panthers were David Moore, who caught both of his targets for 17 yards, and Jonathan Mingo, who caught his sole target for one yard. Neither of the three should be in fantasy lineups as of now.

Vele’s Weeks 2-5 healthy scratch statuses are inexplicable. He led the team in receptions in Week 1 (eight) and led the team in receiving yards in Week 6, by a 25-yard margin. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound WR is not an elite talent but he brings reliability and big-play ability to a pass-catching corps in need of both traits. He is a WR5 candidate against the Saints in Week 7.

Legette was cleared from a shoulder injury to play against the Falcons and wound up the second-most targeted wideout, albeit with just four targets. Andy Dalton found Legette in the back of the end zone where he high-pointed the jump ball for the second-quarter score. The rookie is a useful big target, though he isn’t the separator Diontae Johnson is. He will be in the fantasy WR4 mix against the bad Commanders secondary for Week 7.

Mike McCarthy entered the season on the hot seat after the team mulled firing him following last season’s playoff loss to the Packers. With one year left on his current deal, 2024 is a true make-or-break season for the veteran coach, whose seat undoubtedly got hotter after Sunday’s shellacking. McCarthy and and the Cowboys have a lot to correct on both sides of the ball during their Week 7 bye, and face a tough test coming out when the face the 49ers in Week 8.

The rookie Sanders saw his highest usage of the season in Week 6 with Tommy Tremble (concussion) out and Ian Thomas returning to no catches on three targets. Sanders will be the lead tight end for the Panthers, though more games of heavy usage will need to be seen to make him a consistent fantasy player. Facing a struggling Commanders defense in Week 7, Sanders is worth a play as a streamer tight end.

Sutton’s day would have been a lot more productive had an offensive holding call not erased an explosive gain Sutton secured in the center of the field. Nix’s development could help Sutton stabilize as a weekly WR3 moving forward. He has a tough matchup against the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore in Week 7.

Johnson continues to be a beneficiary of Andy Dalton at quarterback, garnering 10 targets and scoring the Panthers’ first score of the day. He is seeing the most volume out of the Panthers’ wider receivers, with Xavier Legette seeing the next-most wideout targets at four on the day. After a flop of a three-catch, 23-yard game last week, Johnson is back into the WR2 ranks as one of the few fantasy-viable options from the Panthers offense. He will be a fantasy WR2 in a good matchup against a bad Commanders secondary for Week 7.

Patrick came within a yard of scoring his first touchdown since 2021 before a review overturned the initial call on the field. Patrick’s 68-yard outing comings after the team’s Week 5 bye, and two weeks after he surprised by 2-52 in Week 4. The veteran receiver has been targeted 10 times in the four games he’s played in this season. While his recent yardage totals are enticing, Patrick is producing on very limited opportunities. We wouldn’t recommend starting him in Week 7 against the Vikings.